A Brave New World
by kaela097
Summary: Blair and Chuck's daughter is ready to join the work force as a proud graduate of Columbia University. What happens when the 'real world' isn't all that welcoming? A continuation of my long running Blair/Charles saga.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **Seasons greetings everyone.**

 **I'm giving you all a holiday gift in the form of a new story, hot off the presses.**

 **As I've previously mentioned, this one will be focused more on the original characters I've created through my long running saga more than Chuck and Blair. It's still the continuation of their story though told through their daughter. Never fear the entire gang will make an appearance, or at least the characters I still like. I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **One final thing before we get on with the story. I've messed with the timeline just a bit. Forgive me, but it's my story, my characters, therefore my rules. :)**

 **Enjoy.**

"Are you nervous for your first day, Charlotte?" Blair asked her oldest child when she joined her parents for a symbolic breakfast.

"So nervous," Charlotte poured herself a cup of coffee, her hands twitching nervously. She hoped her mother didn't see her.

It always took Chuck by surprise when he watched his daughter do something as adult as drink coffee. It was hard to see her as the adult she'd become, even in the stylish, power ensemble she'd put together with her mother the previous day.

"You should have seen how nervous your father was on his first day at Bass," Blair looked towards her husband in amusement, "He couldn't tie his tie to save his life."

"You were nervous for me," Chuck sent her a flirtatious wink.

"So nervous," Blair reached for his hand and kissed it softly.

"Any advice?" Charlotte asked her parents, ignore the current of electricity passing from one parent to the other. After nearly twenty-three years, she was immune to their flirting.

"Don't let yourself be intimidated," Chuck replied.

"Don't be afraid to pull rank either. You're Charlotte Bass. You're one step from the top office. Don't let people forget that," Blair added.

"One step," Charlotte repeated nervously.

"It's a short step but one you won't have to make for awhile," Blair stated.

"I hope not," Chuck snorted in amusement. "I'm not ready to retire yet…Char, don't let expectations get to you. You have time to learn everything you need before I'll hand over the reigns, and there will be people to help you get there."

Charlotte tempted a piece of toast, but didn't try for much else. She was simply too nervous for her first official day at Bass Industries. She'd done two summer internships under an alias so as not be given special treatment, but with her college degree now firmly in hand it was time to truly learn the ropes of the company she'd one day run.

"You have nothing to worry about, Sweetheart," Chuck reached for her hand and kissed it, "If anyone gives you any trouble, I will deal with it."

Charlotte rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to be was the girl who ran to daddy when someone hurt her feelings. She needed to earn everyone's respect and show them she could do the job. Her last name got her the position, but her intelligence was going to show everyone she was more than just the boss's daughter.

"You won't be the only new face in the office," Blair sipped at her cappuccino, "Eugenia's son, Eddie, is returning from London to start work at the main office. You remember him, don't you, Charlotte?"

"Vaguely," Charlotte tried to keep her voice even.

"According to your London head of operations, he's done great work," Blair told her husband, "Why did he return to New York? He was on the fast track."

"He's still on the fast track," Chuck replied, "I asked him to return."

"Because Eugenia asked you to?" Blair gave him a curious glimmer.

"Despite evidence to the contrary, I do run my business and my office," Chuck laughed, "My request had nothing to do with Eugenia pestering me weekly to bring her son home."

"Keep telling yourself that, Bass," Blair snickered.

"Are you about ready?" Chuck asked his daughter, "You don't want to be late for your first day."

"I'm sure the boss could provide me with a hall pass," Charlotte snickered.

"Go get your things," Chuck laughed, "I'll meet you in the lobby."

Charlotte went to the elevator and took it down two floors to her own penthouse apartment, which was a gift from her parents upon her graduation from Columbia with highest honors. Some would have felt being so close to her parents was their way of controlling her. Charlotte didn't feel that way at all. They respected she was a grown adult and let her come and go during her last summer of freedom.

Charlotte checked her appearance one final time and then grabbed her leather satchel bag, a graduation gift from her brothers, before meeting her father downstairs.

"You're a Bass, sweetheart," Chuck gave her a reassuring pep talk on the drive, "In the beginning, there might be some mistrust of you and your abilities, but you know the company. You know it in and out. It's in your blood. I trust you, Charlotte. I trust the company will be in good hands the day I decide to leave."

"Which hopefully won't be for a few decades," she gave a small smile.

"Never fear," he grinned, "I still have plenty of years left in me."

"Good," Charlotte bit her lip. "I liked it better when I went in anonymously. The expectations weren't as high."

"The only expectations are your own," Chuck took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "All I expect is for you to come in and learn, not take over."

"I want to do well for you," she replied.

"Do well for yourself," Chuck responded, "Charlotte, I want you to be happy. If being at Bass Industries is too much pressure, I want you to find something which will make you happy."

"I want to be at Bass," Charlotte shook her head, "Like you said, it's in my blood. I was born for this. I know this company inside and out. I'm ready."

"I'm proud of you, Charlotte," he kissed her hand, "I will always be proud of you."

"I know," she nodded. The car rolled to a stop outside Bass Tower. "When do I get my own car?"

"In a few years," he chuckled. The driver opened the door, and Chuck and Charlotte stepped out. "I'll see you for lunch in my office."

"Is that my father or my boss making the request?" she asked when they stepped into the building.

"Both," he smirked, "Enjoy orientation."

"Yeah right," she rolled her eyes and made her way to the Human Resources office to begin her employment.

* * *

"Charlotte Bass, it's been awhile," a familiar face greeted her when she stepped into the Human Resources office to see a red headed man in his late twenties, dressed in a finely cut suit in the waiting area.

"Eddie, is that you?" Charlotte took a seat next to him after checking in with the receptionist, "It's been what five years?"

"My college graduation party," he nodded, "Sorry, I couldn't attend yours."

"It's okay. I got your gift. It was lovely," she smiled, "Thank you."

"I can't get over how much you've grown," he gave her an appreciative once over, "You look every bit like your mother."

"Thank you," Charlotte beamed.

"How are your brothers?" he inquired.

"Good," she nodded, "Aiden just graduated from high school and will be started his training at the Culinary Institute of America. Brice is in France finishing his degree. He's practically engaged to his high school girlfriend, Colette. He's carrying on the family tradition of being completely devoted to his high school sweetheart."

"What about you? Any boyfriends or fiancés?" Eddie checked her finger for an engagement ring.

"No," she shook her head, "I was dating this one guy for awhile, but it didn't work out. He just wasn't the one…What about you? I bet the girls in London just fell at your feet."

"Didn't have the time," he shook his head, "I've been busy with work."

"That's no good," Charlotte shook her head, "My dad has always said its important to have a work and life balance. He took ten years off to raise us kids."

"Maybe someday," Eddie shrugged.

"How's Justin?" Charlotte shifted the conversation, "I heard he was stationed in Germany, I think it was."

"He's returning stateside soon," Eddie replied, "Mom is excited. She'll have both her sons in the same country for a change. He's hoping to reenlist when his commitment is up next year. Mom hopes he retires and goes into the private sector."

"He won't," Charlotte shook her head, "Dad said he's a career soldier."

"He is," Eddie confirmed, "So is his wife. Together they'll run the Pentagon someday soon."

"I don't have to ask about your parents," she smiled.

"No, you probably know them better than I do after five years away," he laughed.

Charlotte was taken aback by the sound of his laugh. It hit her how much of a crush she'd had on him when they were younger.

"Glad to be back?" she asked.

"Yes," he nodded quickly, "I've always been grateful for the amount of trust your father has shown in me. I hope I'll continue to do him proud with my new assignment."

"What brings you into HR?" Charlotte inquired, "They aren't making you go through the orientation again, are they?"

"No," he laughed, "There's some paperwork I need to sign, and then I'll be given the standard Bass Tower tour."

"I guess we'll be tour buddies," she smiled.

Charlotte was called into the office first to complete paperwork and to go over her job description. It all felt pretty frivolous, but she did it all without complaint. She was eager to get her career started.

Eddie kept himself occupied by fiddling with his phone, but he couldn't get Charlotte Bass off his mind.

They'd spent many holidays together when they were younger. The last time he saw her was at the annual Bass Christmas Ball a few years ago. He hadn't approached or asked for a dance as she'd been on the arm of her boyfriend at the time, but he'd wanted to. She'd matured so much from the little girl who had fawned over him.

"Mister Fraser, Ms. Williams is ready for you," the assistant pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Thank you," he dutifully followed the young woman to the office, ignoring the blatant flirting along the way.

* * *

"How was the tour?" Chuck asked his daughter when she came to his office for lunch. Eugenia had arranged for Charlotte's favorite Chinese dish to be delivered.

"Unnecessary," Charlotte expertly used chopsticks to eat her meal, "I've been running around these halls since I was a toddler. I think I know the building better than the woman who was showing it to me."

Chuck laughed as he took a bite.

"I ran into Eddie in HR," Charlotte stated.

"He stopped in here just before you arrived. He and Eugenia were going out to lunch," Chuck nodded.

Charlotte felt mild disappointment at having missed another opportunity to see him, but she suppressed the feeling for her father's sake. He was still the overprotective father he'd always been. She still thought it was a miracle he allowed her to date at all.

"It will be good to have him here," Chuck replied.

"Did you really bring him back for Eugenia?" Charlotte asked, "You can tell me. I won't tell Mom."

"I didn't do it only for Eugenia," he chuckled, "Eddie will be a great asset here in New York. It's an added benefit that it makes my assistant giddy with happiness."

"I forgot how cute he was," Charlotte decided to tease him a bit. "Good thing there are no fraternization rules in the employee handbook."

"I need to update that handbook," he muttered.

"You're so easy to get a rise out of," Charlotte snickered.

"Eat your lunch," he grumbled.

"Yes, Boss," she returned to her meal.

"Brice called this morning," Chuck stated, "He wanted to wish you luck."

"I got his text," Charlotte nodded, "It's going to be weird, him not joining me at Bass. I always figured I'd be fighting him for this office when the time came, or at the very least share the title with him."

"He caught the wine bug," Chuck replied, "I can't fault him for making his own path in life. That's what I've wanted for all of you…If Bass won't make you happy, tell me now, and we'll find what does."

"I want Bass," Charlotte shook off his offer, "I've always wanted Bass, since I was a little girl coloring at your desk when you came in for board meetings. This is our family's company, my company, and I intend to do just what you did, keep it as one of the most profitable and most generous companies in the world and a company our family can be proud to bear its name."

Chuck beamed with pride in response.

"I'd better get back to my office. I don't want my boss thinking I'm just here to collect a paycheck," Charlotte gathered her things.

"If Walters gives you any trouble, you send him to me," the proud papa told his daughter.

"I'll keep that in mind," she rose up quickly and pecked at his cheek. "Bye, Daddy, thanks for lunch."

 **TBC...**

 **If you have any thoughts or comments, I'd love to hear them.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Staying late, I see," Eddie popped his head into Charlotte's office a few weeks after their previous encounter. It was after eight in the evening. Everyone in her division had left for the evening.

"You too apparently," Charlotte looked up briefly from her paperwork with a slight smile, "Enjoying how things are run in New York or ready to go back to London?"

"It's a bit more intense here," Eddie sat himself down in the chair opposite her desk, "You're father is quite demanding."

"He knows what he wants," Charlotte kept her focus on her paperwork, "It's up to the rest of us to make what he wants happen."

"You're really serious about this job," Eddie studied her for a moment.

"I have a lot to learn," Charlotte flipped to the next page of her report after leaving a comment on the first page, "I may be next in line for the CEO's office, but he's not going to give it to me until I'm ready. Even then it's up to the Board of Directors to keep my seat. I'm not some spoiled little rich girl who expects Daddy to hand me his job. What I get, I intend to earn."

"Never thought you were," Eddie stated.

Charlotte looked up for a few moments and their eyes locked. "Thank you."

"How about some dinner?" Eddie suggested, "Even future CEOs need to eat once in awhile."

"I have a lot of work left," Charlotte looked to the stack of papers.

"It will still be there tomorrow. Come on, I know a great little place. Best pizza in New York City…you do eat pizza, don't you?" he gave her a mischievous smile.

"What do you take me for? A spoiled Upper East Side Snob?" Charlotte began closing file folders while tossing Eddie an annoyed look.

Eddie tossed up his hands in mock surrender.

"How'd the first few weeks treat you?" Eddie guided her to the elevator bank with his hand at the small of her back, his messenger bag slung over his shoulders.

"I'm the boss's daughter," she sighed, "Which apparently is a communicable disease because people barely speak to me. My boss even shakes when he hands me new work."

"Yet you had a pile of files on your desk to go through," he hit the elevator call button.

"I had to ask for them," she frowned, "I'm not asking for special treatment, but I'm getting the kid gloves."

"It will get better," he offered when the elevator arrived and the doors slid open. Again his hand went to the small of her back to guide her in. Charlotte's breath hitched at the spark she felt course through her. She'd never felt anything like it.

"Evening, Ms. Bass, " the elevator's only occupant greeted her nervously before abruptly exiting the car.

"See what I mean," Charlotte frowned, her finger mashing against the first floor button, "I've ridden this elevator solo every night."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," he chuckled, "Some of those perfumes and colognes are mighty strong."

"Is my perfume too strong?" she held her wrist to his nose.

"Not at all," he gave her a half smirk.

Outside Bass Towers, Eddie went to hail a cab.

"I thought you said this place was close," she grasped his hand before he could wave it.

"It is," he turned towards her, glancing at the shoes on her feet, "I'd hate for your feet to blister on the walk."

"Don't be ridiculous. These shoes are more comfortable than they look," she rolled her eyes and linked arm with him, "Lead the way."

"Is there a curfew I should be aware of?" he inquired.

"Good grief," she rolled her eyes yet again, "I'm twenty-two years old. I haven't had a curfew since I turned eighteen."

"Still I'd rather not have your father call out the dogs if you arrive home late," he responded, "You forget how intimately familiar my mother is with your father's antics. He is a bit...overprotective when it comes to his children."

"He also recognizes I'm an adult with the ability to make my own choices," she replied, "It isn't like he's waiting up for me. I do have my own place. It's in my parents' building, but it's all my own. I tip the doorman well enough to ensure my business is my own."

"That has to be the most fantastic gig in New York City," he snorted, "Between you and your father, that doorman probably pulls in six figures easy."

"So right," she laughed, " Daddy always taught me to treat those people well because they have information people with agendas might want, and I'd rather keep myself off Page Six as much as possible."

"Does that mean you do things worthy of Page Six?" he raised a curious brow, "I've always been under the impression that Charlotte Bass is practically perfect in every way."

"I just happen to be good at keeping my business off the radar. I'm not perfect, far from it, but I know to keep my business out of the public eye," she explained, "Tipping doormen, waiters, drivers, bouncers is a good way to start."

"I bet your father's considerable influence helps a bit," Eddie prodded her, "Does he own those newspapers yet? Mom says he's always threatening to buy them and put them out of business."

"I try to keep my business off Daddy's radar too," she replied, "I'd rather not be followed around with bodyguards and private investigators."

"Good evening, Char," the man behind the counter greeted Charlotte when she entered Jovanni's Pizza after the short walk.

"Hi, Joey," Charlotte gave him her typical flirtatious smile.

"The usual?" he wiped at the counter.

"You know me well," she nodded.

"New friend?" he eyed Eddie up and down with an appreciative glance.

"Old friend," Charlotte replied, "Eddie and I go way back. He's known me since I was in pigtails."

"We go back farther than that," Eddie laughed, "I remember you as a baby screaming your lungs out."

"Don't be ridiculous," she huffed, "I never did such a thing."

"Sure you did," his shoulder's shook in amusement. He put in his order, paid the bill and then led her to an empty table. "So I take it you've been here before."

"Best pizza in the city," she nodded, "Dad would take me here after a board meeting at Bass when I was a little girl if I was super good. Of course I was always super good, so we came here often. It was a treat for me as Mom refused to lower herself to pizza, except when she was pregnant. I come here all the time, and I love it."

"I'm going to make it my mission to find hidden gems you haven't tried in this city," he replied.

"Good luck with that," she sung out sweetly, "I'm confident I've been to every good restaurant in Manhattan."

"Sounds like a challenge."

"Bring it on," she responded confidently.

Joey brought out their slices of pizza and addressed Charlotte, "I threw in those cinnamon sticks you like so much...on the house."

"You're the best, Joey," Charlotte beamed in reply. "You always take such good care of me."

Joey blushed and returned to his place behind the counter.

"I think someone has a crush on you," Eddie teased, eyeing Charlotte's slice of pizza. It was much larger than his own.

"I'm not his type," Charlotte snorted, "I think he's trying to impress someone else at this table."

Eddie choked on his bite of pizza.

"Don't sound so surprised," she tapped at his shoulder in scolding, "You are a pretty handsome fella."

"He's not my type," he swallowed.

"What is your type?" she picked up her pizza slice and took a bite.

Eddie choked a second time.

"You do know how to chew, don't you?...If I remember right, you brought that brunette to several galas. Didn't see her last year though," Charlotte teased.

"Heather," Eddie cleared his throat, "I'm not seeing her anymore. She wanted a commitment I didn't want."

"You don't want to get married?" Charlotte inquired.

"I didn't want to marry her," Eddie clarified, "I have no problem with commitment or marriage, as long as it's the right two people making the commitment. I look to my parents...and your parents, and I know what it looks like. I haven't had it."

"It's hard to believe two people can be as happy together as my parents," Charlotte sighed, "It's a hard example to have. It's clearly out there, but I haven't found it either. Sometimes I think I never well, certainly not to their level. Twenty five years of marriage later and they're still as passionate about each other as they've always have been."

"How did they meet?" he inquired.

"High school," Charlotte replied.

"High school sweethearts then," he assumed.

"No, god no," Charlotte laughed, "I wouldn't call them that. I mean, they did hook up in high school for a bit, but they didn't start a real relationship until after they graduated. Dad had commitment issues, and Mom dated my uncle, Nate, forever."

"I thought your dad was an only child," he frowned.

"He is," Charlotte backpedaled a bit, "It's an honorary title. He's dad's best friend. Dad does have two stepsiblings from when Grandpa Bart married Grandma Lily. Dad doesn't really see them as stepsiblings anymore. They're just Aunt Serena and Uncle Eric."

"So your mom dated your dad's best friend. Isn't it a bit against the bro code to date your best friend's ex?" Eddie took another bit of his pizza. His mom had never given him the backstory on her boss and his wife. He found this soap opera a bit more interesting than he probably should.

"You have to have known my dad back then to really get the thought process," Charlotte explained, "He'd been in love with Mom since he was a very young boy, but she was always with Uncle Nate. Uncle Nate was the closest thing Dad really had to family. When Mom and Nate broke up, Dad says he couldn't help himself...didn't want to help himself. It didn't last for very long. It was in secret. They were both insecure about where they stood with the other. Mom was too caught up in what society thought. She got back together with Uncle Nate...a couple of times. Eventually it was just something they could no longer ignore. They just fit together. When they finally got together, they never let go...They never will."

"Sounds kinda like a cheesy fairytale," Eddie noted.

"Because it is," Charlotte's eyes lit up in amusement, "That's how Dad used to tell it to me, as a bedtime story. It was about Princess Blair and how her Prince Charles came to rescue her from a mundane life. I was six...I think, when I realized the story he was telling me was about them. It was definitely the G version of their tale. I kinda wish I hadn't grown up, so he'd still tell it. I recorded it once without him knowing. I wish I knew where I put the tape."

"It's probably in that colossal closet you have," he teased.

"Your parents have to have their own great story," Charlotte stated, "Dad always says it was their stable influence which kept him and Mom together."

"It's a pretty simple story really," he shrugged, "They met in college, got married, had two kids. No drama."

"But they're happy," Charlotte offered.

"Nearly forty years later, yes, they are," he confirmed.

"Does Eugenia ever talk about retirement?"

"Not really," he shook his head, "Especially since your dad hired her an assistant of her own."

"An assistant to an assistant?" Charlotte lifted a brow.

"I think it was his way of lightening her load to keep her happy," Eddie stated, "She mostly handles the Bass charities stuff and the annual Christmas Gala. She likes coming into the office everyday. She likes the rapport she has with your dad."

"Dad dreads the day she turns in her retirement paperwork," Charlotte stated.

"So does Mom," Eddie laughed.

"I think the day she does retire will be the same day Dad does, so for my sake, I hope it's ten, fifteen years down the road," she smiled.

"Not ready for the big office yet?" he asked, "Your dad took control pretty young, and he's done quite well for himself."

"According to Dad, every success he's ever had is due to Mom."

"It's a hard legacy to live up to, your father, I mean," Eddie stated.

"Yeah," she nodded, "He's a brilliant businessman. I hope to be able to one day achieve even a sliver of his success."

"You will," Eddie assured her.

* * *

"Thanks for seeing me home," Charlotte stated just before stepping out of the cab.

"It's what a gentleman does."

"Gentleman, huh," she chuckled, "Been awhile since I've been around one of those."

"See you at work tomorrow?" he inquired.

"I'll be there," she replied, "Thank you for dinner."

"I meant what I said about finding those hidden gems of Manhattan you haven't tasted yet," he stated.

"Next meal is on me," she insisted as the doorman came to open the door for her.

"Deal," he called after her when she walked to the door.

"Thanks, Pete," Charlotte tipped the doorman generously.

"Working late already?" the doorman tipped his hat to her and held the door to the building open for her.

"So much to do, so few hours in the day to day it," she smiled, "Is Daddy home?"

"They both are," Pete nodded, "About an hour ago."

"Better leave them alone then," she snickered, "Have a good evening, Pete."

"You as well, Ms. Bass."

Charlotte rode the elevator to her penthouse apartment, sighing in relief when the car came to a halt. She loved her apartment. It had all the comforts of her parent's home, yet it fit with her personality perfectly.

"Good evening, Ms. Bass," her housekeeper, Daniella, greeted her. Daniella was the niece of her father's long time driver, Arthur. She'd come to New York after spending several years in Los Angeles working for a Hollywood starlet. Charlotte had tried several times to get the name of the starlet, but was rebuffed because of a confidentiality agreement which had been signed. The only comment Daniella had ever made was that Charlotte was much tidier than her former employer.

"It's late, Dani," Charlotte handed over her belongings, "You don't need to wait up for me every night. If I'm not home by eight, I give you permission to turn in."

"Thank you, Ms. Bass," Daniella bowed slightly before disappearing.

Charlotte went to the kitchen, pulled a bottle of wine and a glass before retiring to her bedroom with the intention of enjoying a relaxing bubble bath before bed.

Aside from the enjoyable dinner with Eddie, her day had been downright awful. No one talked to her in the office, choosing instead to talk behind her back. She knew she'd have to adopt a thick skin to survive in the real world, but she'd never thought it would be so tough.

As she relaxed in the tub, a rogue tear trailed down her cheek.

 **TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"How's my dinner buddy today?" Eddie strolled into her office the next afternoon.

"A bit busy at the moment," Charlotte was scribbling notes feverishly, "Department meeting in a few minutes."

"I know," he responded, "I'll be in attendance."

"You're not in my department," she looked visibly startled when she looked up.

"You're department will be working with mine on this upcoming acquisition," Eddie explained, "I'm the department representative from my group."

"Finally someone to walk with," she mumbled while jotting down her last minute thoughts.

"We'd better get to the conference room," he glanced towards the clock on her wall, "We'll want to get a good seat."

Charlotte gathered her notes and stepped out from behind her desk. Eddie's hand went to the small of her back. The gesture was becoming more natural each time he did it.

Charlotte was taken aback by the presence of her father in the conference room when she and Eddie arrived.

"Mister Bass," Charlotte nodded politely.

"Ms. Bass," Chuck returned her greeting with a twinkle in his eye before addressing Eddie, "Drew the short straw, Mister Fraser?"

"Volunteered," Eddie shook Chuck's hand.

"Glutton for punishment, I see," Chuck gave him a half smirk.

"Always have been," Eddie responded, taking a seat next to Charlotte while everyone else filed in.

"Thank you everyone for coming," Chuck spoke once everyone was settled, "As you may be aware, we are working on the newest acquisition." A few buttons were pressed and the Power Point presentation began. Chuck went through the outline of the pros and cons of the acquisition. "The job of everyone in here is to focus on the areas to be merged. Mister Fraser has been brought in to represent the executive team. While I will have final say over the executives we will be bringing on board from our newly acquired company, Mister Fraser will be bringing the recommendations forth. The rest of you will be looking towards the rank and file. Any questions?"

None in the room dared raise their hands until Charlotte's hand popped up, "Mister Bass, I noticed several departments overlap significantly with us already. Is there a reason we didn't simply acquire the assets and dissolve the company?"

"Good question, Ms. Bass," Chuck nodded, "Yes, there are several talents within Idle Corp which are important for us to retain, most notably within the Research and Development Department. Recommended cuts should come from any other department...Any other questions?"

Again no one dared speak up.

"Is there a target for how many cuts we should be making?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes, we should expect a reduction in workforce at Idle Corp by twenty-five percent at minimum," Chuck stated, "It's not out of the realm of possibilities that the number could be closer to fifty percent...Anything further?"

Charlotte looked at her notes. She dare not ask anything further. Her coworkers were starting to glare at her. Eddie glanced over her shoulder to eye her notes. Charlotte's fingers pointed to the one question she really wanted answered.

"What is the deadline for our proposals?" Eddie responded.

"Yes, Mister Fraser, we'd like to have our presentation ready for the next Board of Director's meeting. You have thirty days, which also means a lot of late nights for everyone in this room," Chuck stated, "To compensate, dinner will be provided each night in this room."

There was a chorus of groans in response.

"I have another meeting to get to," Chuck glanced at the clock, "Mister Walters should be able to answer any additional questions. Good luck, everyone."

There was another chorus of groans when Chuck left the room. With the big boss out of the office, everyone seemed to regain their verbal ability enough to complain about the assignment. Charlotte felt excited. It was her first real opportunity to make a contribution which would come to the attention of the board.

After a few more bits of information provided by their boss, they were dismissed with their assignments.

"Meet for lunch in your office?" Eddie spoke quietly.

Charlotte nodded before disappearing into her office with her mound of paperwork, eager to begin. Her co-workers were all whining about their assignments while they filed passed her office. She distinctly heard two of her female coworkers cackling about what a kiss up Charlotte had been and several other choice words civilized people in an office workplace wouldn't use in the course of normal conversation.

Charlotte tried to block out all the noise and get to work. She didn't realize she was crying until Eddie came in with his lunch.

"What's wrong?" he quickly closed the door upon noticing the tears.

"Nothing," Charlotte quickly pushed the drops away and reached for her packed lunch.

"Those aren't nothing tears," he reached for a tissue and handed it to her.

"Really, it's no big deal," she insisted while dabbing at her eyes.

"You can talk to me," Eddie replied.

"I know," she responded, "It's really no big deal. I need to develop a thick skin."

"Charlotte," he held her gaze for a moment.

"Let it go," she insisted.

"Char," he began.

"Let it go," she repeated with an edge in her voice.

Eddie sat himself down in one of the chairs across from her desk and engaged Charlotte in a staring contest. He didn't stand a chance as Charlotte had been regularly winning staring contests with her father since she was a little girl.

"If you want to help, be my friend and let me deal with my own issues," Charlotte requested.

"I'm sorry," he replied, "I feel protective of you. I've known you all your life. I held you at your christening. I gave you a stuffed bunny."

"You gave me Hoppy?" Charlotte was surprised by his revelation. She'd always assumed it was a gift from her father. "Pink bunny with floppy ears..."

"And a rainbow bow tie," Eddie nodded, "I can't take all the credit. I was five and didn't have an allowance. Mom took me and Justin to the toy story. We each picked out a toy to give you."

"What did Justin pick out?" she asked.

"A puzzle, I think," he responded after a moment of thought.

"So you think of yourself as my big brother?" she concluded.

"No," he shook his head vigorously. His reaction was too strong. The feelings he was developing for her were coming to the surface. He could remember watching her grow up, but he couldn't deny the attraction he was developing. She was a beautiful woman, much like her mother, but there were subtle differences.

Charlotte bit her lip to keep back the laugh she felt trying to escape. The scenario before them was ridiculous. She'd pestered him to no end growing up, always trying to tag along with him and Justin when they were together, but there was no denying his attractiveness and his attraction to her.

"What are we doing here?" she reached for her lunch and then went around to sit next to him while she ate.

"Having lunch," he held up his container of food.

"You know what I mean," Charlotte glared at him. He remained silent. "Fine, I'll start. This is crazy. We've known each other like you said since I was born and there is a familiarity there, but there is also the chemistry which wasn't there when we were younger. I'm attracted to you. I guess I need to know if you can see beyond the little girl I was with pigtails who chased you and Justin around each holiday."

"I don't see a little girl when I look at you anymore," he admitted, "I don't know what is going on, but I do know I like spending time with you. I feel protective of you...I'm attracted to you too, but..."

"My dad is our boss," Charlotte knew where his thoughts were taking him.

"Not just our boss, my mother's boss," Eddie stated, "If things get weird, it could get weird for them."

"Why would it get weird?" she plopped in a bite with her chopsticks.

"If this thing between us is just a passing thing," he offered.

"So we don't tell them," Charlotte shrugged the entire situation off like it was no big deal, even though Eddie could already tell what was happening was a very big deal, "At least until we figure this thing out."

"I'm not a fling type of guy," he stated.

"Good," she smiled, "I'm not a fling type of girl."

"We're going to be busy for at least the next month," he reminded her, "Late nights, maybe even weekends."

"So we wait," she shrugged, "If whatever this is fizzles out within the month, then we've saved ourselves the trouble."

"How about one month from today, I take you out for dinner...a proper dinner," he suggested.

"Deal," she set down her chopsticks and extended her hand, a smile lighting up her face.

"Deal," he shook her hand to seal the deal. A current of electricity passed through them. It was clear their 'thing' was not going to fizzle out in a month's time.

 **TBC…**

 **Those darn mean girls. No matter where you go in life, you can never get away from them completely. You just got to keep your head up.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Too busy to take your mother's calls," Blair tapped on her daughter's office door, "So I stopped by with lunch. Is this a bad time?"

"No," Charlotte gave her mother a grateful smile, "I'll take any excuse to take a break."

"Your dad said you've been working pretty hard," Blair handed her a container of food, "Compliments of your brother."

"I've missed Aiden's cooking," Charlotte dove into her food with gusto, "I forgot how much over the past few weeks without."

"I hope your dad isn't working you too hard," Blair observed the dark circles under her daughter's eyes, "I do have considerable pull where he's concerned. I'm sure whatever deadline you're on can be pushed if I ask sweetly."

"You're powers of persuasion are atypically strong where Daddy is concerned, but it's coming along," Charlotte snickered, "I shouldn't have any trouble meeting the deadline."

"If you change your mind, let me know," Blair smiled, "How's the work? Are you learning a lot?"

"It's been an adjustment," Charlotte admitted, "There is a level of distrust between me and my co-workers because of my last name. I should have started under a different identity like I did during my internships."

"You know why that wasn't a good idea," Blair reminded her.

"I know, but it's hard," Charlotte sighed, "They don't talk to me. They don't include me. They think I'm just some goodie-goodie doing her daddy's bidding."

"You'll win them over," Blair assured her, "You always do. You have your mother's charms and your father's business sense."

"I hope you're right," Charlotte bit her lip.

"If it's too much, you can move to a different department," Blair offered, "CB Fashions could be in the market for a business manager."

"No offense, Mom, but that's a giant step down," Charlotte replied.

"I just want you to be happy," Blair played with a curl of her daughter's hair, "I hope you know that."

"I'll figure it out," Charlotte stated.

Eddie popped in abruptly.

"Oh, sorry, didn't know you had a visitor," Eddie backed out of Charlotte's office almost as quickly as he popped in.

"Hi, Eddie," Blair greeted the young man. Her voice and face showed mild surprise.

"Oh, hi, Mrs. Bass," Eddie's eyes were awash with relief.

"Blair," she quickly corrected him, "How are you? How is it being back in New York?"

"It's been a bit of an adjustment, but it's good to be home," Eddie stepped back into Charlotte's office.

"I know your mother is happy to have you home," Blair smiled.

"She's made that quite clear," Eddie chuckled.

"Did you two need to talk shop?" Blair looked between the pair, "I can certainly bug the big boss."

"No, I was just seeing if Charlotte wanted to have lunch," Eddie shook his head, "Maybe tomorrow."

"Sorry," Charlotte replied, " I can't pass on Aiden's cooking."

"It smells great," Eddie replied, "Talk to you later, Char."

Charlotte nodded while Eddie left her office.

Blair saw the blush crimson her daughter's cheeks. "So you and Eddie are..."

"Friends," Charlotte finished the sentence quickly.

"That's not what the twinkle in your eyes said when he entered the office, without knocking, I might add. That suggests a bit more familiarity," Blair observed her clearly flustered daughter.

"Honest, we're just friends," Charlotte replied, "Nothing more has happened."

"Yet?" Blair added with a question in her voice.

"I don't know what happened," Charlotte confessed, "I hadn't seen him in a long time, and when I saw him on my first day...I'd forgotten how good looking he was."

"You're smitten,"" Blair's eyes shined in amusement.

"We're both busy right now with the merger stuff," Charlotte stated, "We agreed after to go on a date to see what happens."

"Charlotte, be smart," Blair cautioned her daughter, "You know how protective your father is."

"That's why I'm not going to tell him unless there is something to tell him," Charlotte replied.

"Good girl," Blair patted her knee with a maternal smile.

"Does Daddy still have his private investigator on speed dial?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes," Blair snickered, "He won't use him unless you give him a reason. You've outsmarted him before. I'm confident you can do it again."

"He still doesn't know Devon and I had sex, does he," Charlotte concluded.

"Heavens no!" Blair gasped, "Your father made me promise when you started dating to never tell him if and when you started to have sex, and I've kept that promise. Besides Devon was a nice young man, I'd hate to be responsible for your father putting him into an early grave."

"He was," Charlotte gave a thoughtful nod, "If only our lives headed in the same direction, but I can't blame him for moving to L.A. to follow his dreams."

"Have you heard from him?" Blair inquired.

"He sends me emails every now and then," Charlotte shrugged, "He's had a few bit parts in but no big breaks."

"Acting is a difficult business," Blair replied.

"It was fun while it lasted in college, but I was never serious about it, certainly not as serious as Devon," Charlotte sighed, "It's always been about business for me."

"I know," Blair smiled, "You are your father's daughter."

Charlotte beamed in reply.

"The office needs a few personal touches," Blair looked around at the bare walls.

"I'll get around to it eventually," Charlotte shrugged, while closing the now empty container and handing it to her mother, "You'll compliment our chef for me, won't you?"

"Of course," Blair returned the container to her lunch bag, "He misses you...says he doesn't, but he does."

"I was thinking of taking a day off this weekend. Think I could talk Aiden into a picnic in the park?" Charlotte inquired.

"I think you can talk all of us into a picnic in the park," Blair replied, "Sunday work for you?"

Charlotte nodded in reply.

"I'd better get back to my loft, but I want to stop to see your father first," Blair hugged her daughter, "Don't work too hard."

"I'll try," Charlotte smiled.

"You know that no matter what, your father and I are very proud of you," Blair kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Mom," Charlotte blushed while her mother erased the lipstick from her cheek.

"See you, Sunday," Blair stated.

* * *

"How's it coming?" Eddie popped his head into Charlotte's office later in the evening.

"Getting closer," Charlotte smiled up at him, "I think I have my cuts narrowed down. Now I just need to write up the proposal. It's harder than I thought, having to cut jobs when you see the names of the people affected by your work."

"You try not to think about it," he took a seat, "Sorry about earlier with your mom."

"It's okay," Charlotte assured him, "I had no idea she was coming. She just popped in with food. I couldn't turn down Aiden's quinoa creation. He's a culinary genius."

"So I've heard," Eddie chuckled, "Is the training at the CIA really necessary?"

"It's what he's always wanted," Charlotte stated, "He's soaked up as much as he could from our chef. Now it's time for the professionals to take over. He just started this week, so I'm excited to hear what he has to say about it. I'm hoping to spend some time with him this weekend."

"Taking time off?" Eddie asked.

"Just Sunday," Charlotte replied, "I still have a week to write up my proposal. It shouldn't be too involved. How are your recommendations coming?"

"Almost done," he responded, "Your father wasn't too keen on keeping many. He'll keep enough for the boards to give approval to the acquisition."

"I'm going to be finished early," Charlotte admitted, "Do I dare ask if anyone needs help? I don't want to step on anyone's toes."

"You also don't want to be the one who packs it up every day at five and leaves the office," he stated, "Feel them out. See which ones seem the most stressed. They might be glad for the help, but make it clear you don't want to step on toes."

"Yeah, thanks for the advice. Business school doesn't prepare you for the day to day office stuff. I can recite business tactics and the principles of macro and micro economics with my eyes closed, but these office politics…," she trailed off.

"You'll figure it out," he reassured her, "Charlotte Bass doesn't know how to fail."

"I wish I had your same faith in myself," she bit her lips and glanced towards the clock on the wall. Dinner was due to arrive shortly and everyone seemed to mill around the conference room just minutes before.

"Do you want me to come with?" he read her thoughts.

"No," she shook her head, "It's my job to win these people over. Wish my luck."

"Good luck," he gave her a reassuring smile. Just before Charlotte left her office, he reached for her hand, "Are you free for dinner on Saturday night?"

"What about our agreement?" she gave him a nervous smile.

"I don't think I can wait any longer."

"Pick me up at seven," she smiled shyly before leaving her office.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Eddie paced nervously outside Charlotte's building, working up the courage to go in. He knew the doorman was having a good chuckle at his expense. Glancing at his watch, it was now or never. He finally turned towards the door.

"Here to see Ms. Bass?" the doorman inquired.

"Yes, sir," Eddie nodded, "Edward Fraser...she's expecting me."

"Twenty-second floor," he was told as the doorman held the door open for him.

"Thank you," Eddie nodded. His hand quivered nervously when he pressed the correct elevator button. In his other hand was a bouquet of lilies. He'd taken a chance to ask his mother if she knew Charlotte's favorite flower. The answer came with a warning, but his mother didn't seem as surprised by the question as he'd expected.

"Mister Fraser?" Charlotte's housekeeper greeted him in the foyer.

"Yes, ma'am," he clutched the flowers tight, "I'm here to see Charlotte. She's expecting me."

"I'll tell her you're here," the housekeeper smiled.

Eddie scolded himself as he waited anxiously. He had to get himself together. It wasn't like he'd never gone on a date before. In London, he'd earned a bit of a reputation as a ladies' man after ending his long-term relationship. Dating Charlotte was different. He couldn't help thinking about a potential future he hadn't seen in a long time, ever really.

"Hello, Eddie," Charlotte came into the entryway with a bright smile and a beautiful emerald green halter dress. He awkwardly thrust the flowers into her hands. "Thank you, they're beautiful." She accepted them graciously before turning towards her housekeeper to trade them for her handbag and wrap.

He tried to speak, to tell her how beautiful she looked, but no words would come.

"Cat got your tongue?" Charlotte teased when they stepped into the elevator, "I promise not to bite."

"I feel like a fifteen year old going on his first date," Eddie admitted on the ride down.

"Really? I hope it goes better than that," Charlotte bit her lips.

"Was your first date really that horrible?" Eddie felt his confidence starting to return.

"My first date was with my father," Charlotte admitted, "It was sort of a trial run for the real thing. Honestly, he set the bar extremely high. No one has really been able to top it since."

"So, no pressure," Eddie snorted and guided her towards the waiting cab.

"Thank you, Pete," Charlotte handed her doorman a generous tip as he held the door open for her.

"Thank you, Charlotte," Pete tipped his hat to her and then Eddie. Eddie added a tip of his own for good measure. He figured it best to stay on this man's good side.

"Taking my advise to heart, I see," Charlotte's eyes twinkled when Eddie slid in beside her, "What do you have in store for this evening?"

"It's my little secret," he winked and nodded towards his driver.

"How'd you con your way into a fleet vehicle?" Charlotte inquired.

"Trade secret," he replied.

"If Daddy finds out, there's going to be a reprimand in your future," Charlotte sung out her warning.

"There are a lot of things about tonight I'll be in trouble for if Daddy finds out," he laughed, "I'm willing to risk it."

"Do you truly understand the consequences of any extracurricular relationship we may have if my father finds out? Eddie, you would be blackballed from every company in New York City," Charlotte stated, "I'm really not worth the consequences."

"How about you let me make that determination for myself?" he grasped her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she smiled.

"Warning noted for the record," he entwined their hands together while they drove along the streets of Manhattan. "How do you feel about Greek food?"

"I think you'll find I love nearly all types of cuisines," she told him, "My brother and I share the same undiscriminating palate. So long as the food is good, I'm all for it."

They drove all the way to Queens and stopped outside a charmingly styled restaurant entitled Floros.

"Ever given it a try?" Eddie helped her from the vehicle.

"Can't say I have," she smiled.

Eddie lead her into the restaurant. They were instantly greeted by a matronly woman who called Eddie by name after scrambling over to give him the warmest of hugs. She spoke to him in Greek, to which he responded in kind.

"Been here before, I take it," Charlotte accepted the menu she was handed.

"My parents went to school with Mrs. Zeta's son. He was my father's dorm mate. We probably came here once a month when I was still living in New York," Eddie took the menu from her hands, "Mind if I order for us?"

"I trust you'll know what is best," Charlotte agreed, "This doesn't exactly mean you win our wager. I said I knew every tasty spot in Manhattan. This is Queens."

"Sometimes you have to go outside your comfort zone for a good meal," Eddie winked and reached across the table to take her hands.

Zeta came over minutes later with beverages and a basket of pita chips and freshly made hummus. Eddie quickly put in their order and then encouraged Charlotte to taste their appetizer.

"Oh my god," Charlotte's eyes widened upon her first taste, "This is amazing."

"I know," Eddie dug in for his first bite.

"What was it like working in London?" Charlotte asked curiously, "I've been to London a few times, but we usually did fun touristy stuff while Daddy went to the office."

"It's not much different than what goes on at Bass Tower. Only thing different is the accents," he chuckled.

"Do you miss it?" she inquired.

"I missed being away from New York more than I miss London now," he admitted.

"What about friends?" Charlotte asked, "Surely you made a few while you were there."

"Mostly at Bass," he nodded, "It's not like I'll never see them again. Work kept me pretty busy."

"You still found time to socialize," she teased, "I believe you said her name was Heather."

"She was an acquaintance," Eddie replied.

"You don't take acquaintances to Bass gala events," she replied.

"Okay, let's turn the tables," he countered, "What about the bloke you brought? He was more than an acquaintance."

"Devon," Charlotte sighed, "Devon was…a close friend. I don't know if you remember my turn as an actress."

"I remember your high school performances," Eddie nodded, "You were quiet talented. I believe even the Times raved about your performance in 'Our Town'."

"Pretty sure Daddy put the critic up to the review," Charlotte snickered, "I fleetingly thought about become a professional theater actress in college. I met Devon during an audition my freshman year. I was convinced I was going to marry him. He was smart, handsome…talented, but it wasn't meant to be. We wanted different things. His life clearly revolved around acting. I wasn't nearly as serious about the craft. Acting has always only been a hobby for me. We broke up just after Spring Break my senior year. It had been clear for awhile that we were going in separate directions. I just wasn't ready to admit it. He's in L.A. doing his thing. I wish him the best, but he wasn't the guy for me. He didn't give me those 'feelings'."

"What did Daddy think of Devon?" Eddie asked.

"Not much," Charlotte laughed, "He tolerated Devon because Mom made him. The first time Devon met my father, I thought he was going to wet himself. His nervousness around my father never really dissipated. I can't be bringing a guy to every family function who needs to wear a diaper to get through the evening."

Eddie hooted with laughter.

"He doesn't seem to intimidate you," Charlotte noted.

"As a boss and as a person, no," Eddie confirmed, "However, as a father of someone I'm seeing, he scares the hell out of me."

"He does not," Charlotte challenged him, "You wouldn't be here if that were true."

"Perhaps not, but he is intimidating on that level," Eddie replied.

"You said you're not a fling kinda guy, and I said I'm not a fling kinda girl," Charlotte reminded him, "Are you willing to stick it out if things get rough?"

"What are we talking about here?" he caressed her fingers with his, "Until death to us part?"

"Okay, here goes," Charlotte took a deep breath, "This thing between the two of us is a big risk, not only personally but professionally. Playing devil's advocate here, we get serious. You're on the fast track, Eddie, maybe not as fast as I am, but you're good at your job. You're going to move up quick. How are you going to deal with the snide comments about sleeping your way up the corporate ladder?"

"Anyone who says that knows zero about me…or you," Eddie replied. "Would you be naïve enough to allow someone to use you to work their way up the corporate ladder?"

"No!" Charlotte protested, "But since when do actual intentions have any impact on the gossips?"

"Char, I don't give a damn what anyone thinks of my intentions other than you," he stated, "As far as getting your father's approval, we'll cross that bridge if we deem it necessary."

"You have a point," she agreed.

"If your father truly believes you're happy, he'll be okay with us," Eddie added.

"And you're willing to risk your career to find out?" she challenged him.

"Money doesn't equal happiness," Eddie replied.

"Dad's living proof of that," Charlotte nodded, "You can have all the money in the world and be miserable."

"Must have been before your mother, because I've only ever seen him blissfully happy," Eddie stated.

"Oh yeah," Charlotte agreed, "He always tells me these stories about how messed up he was in high school and how he could have easily slipped down the path of no return after his father died, but my mom yanked him out by the back of his neck. It's hard for me to even fathom what kind of man he could have been back then. It's not the man who raised me and my brothers. It's definitely not the man who loves my mom with every fiber of his being. He talks about these bad things he did back then…It's hard to reconcile with the man I know."

"It's never pleasant when your knight in shining armor falls off his horse," Eddie stated.

"No, it's not," she agreed, "I was mad at him for weeks after he sat me down and told me all he'd done. It was probably two or three weeks before we had much more than a cursory conversation. It was Mom who got through to me and explained how he got to be the man he is now. She termed it his Jekyll and Hyde persona. When he's happy, he's the most wonderful man in the world, but when he's not…he can be quite a 'basstard'."

"Have you ever seen that 'basstard' side of him?" Eddie asked.

"No," she shook her head, "Mom said it would take the loss of his family to bring that out in him again. Since she said she doesn't ever plan to leave him, we're safe."

Mrs. Zeta interrupted the serious moment by bringing their meals. Eddie had another brief exchange in Greek with the woman before she left them to consume their meals.

"You speak Greek," Charlotte switched their serious tone to something a bit more first date appropriate, "Not an easy language to pick up. Do you speak any other languages?"

"A few," he responded coyly, "I expect you're fluent in French, like your mother."

"Oui," she smiled. "How many other languages do you speak, besides Greek and English?"

"I can converse in most of the native languages were Bass has significant holdings," he replied, "It was one of the reasons I went to London in the first place. Your father wanted someone with an ear for languages."

Charlotte tested him with a few sentences in French. He responded easily. He then switched between four other languages, merely to prove his point. "Show off," she teased him.

"Is French your only other alternative language?" he asked.

"I can speak a bit of Spanish and Italian, but I'm nowhere near fluent in those languages," she replied, "I know a few Romanian lullabies and all the curse words from my mother's housekeeper."

"Ah, yes, and how is Dorota?" he laughed.

"She's slowing down a bit, but she's still as feisty as ever. Mom hired her an assistant. She says Dorota seems to enjoy being a boss some of the time, but she has a hard time delegated. She has a particular way of doing things," Charlotte explained, "She's always had a soft spot for us kids."

"Do you have your own Dorota?" he asked.

"Not really," Charlotte shook her head, "Dani is nice enough, and she's more than adequate when it comes to the work."

"But?" he prompted.

"She's not the confidante Dorota is for my mom," Charlotte replied.

"And does Charlotte Bass have any confidantes in her life?" he asked.

"My mom for starters," Charlotte nodded, "I have some close girlfriends from Constance and sorority sisters from Columbia, but Mom is who I go to when I really need to talk."

"Sounds like you two are close," he noted.

"We are," she nodded, "Mom was always…she and her mother don't have a very close relationship. Mom wanted something different for the two of us. She's always been very involved in my life. It was always made clear to us kids that we came before their work or any other goings on in their lives."

"Good parents can be hard to come by in the Upper East Side," Eddie stated.

"Oh, I know," Charlotte agreed, "Some of my friends' parents are very messed up…drug problems, extra marital affairs, probably things I don't even want to know about. Most of my friends are jealous of the relationship I have with my parents."

"It's pretty hard not to be jealous of Charlotte Bass and her life," he replied.

"It's a pretty good life," she agreed.

"Are you and your brothers close?" Eddie inquired.

"Yeah," Charlotte's head bobbed a bit hesitantly, "Aiden and I are closer than I am with Brice, not that Brice and I don't get along because we do. Brice is all the way across the Atlantic, living in France, working in the vineyards. I guess we're as close as we can be with an ocean between us. We still text and email on a nearly daily basis, but it's not the same as face to face conversations. I miss him like crazy."

"I know how that goes," Eddie agreed.

"You and Justin always seemed thick as thieves," Charlotte noted.

"Definitely," he nodded, "Justin is my best friend, always has been. It will be good to have him back in the states."

"Has his transfer come through? You never said anything," she replied.

"He'll be back in the states by Christmas," Eddie stated, "Did I tell you he and his wife are expecting their first child?"

"No!" Charlotte replied, "That's fantastic."

"Mom is already going a bit crazy getting a room ready for the baby when they visit New York, and Abigail isn't even due for another five months," he chuckled.

"She is a woman who likes to be prepared," Charlotte responded, "It's what makes her such a great assistant for my father. She's ready for nearly anything he can throw at her. She filled by parents' penthouse living room with sand on a moment's notice after only a few months into working for my dad. He knew after she pulled that trick off that she was some sort of miracle worker."

"I never heard that story before," Eddie admitted.

"Oh goodness, that's the tip of the iceberg really," Charlotte laughed, "Mom gave up a spring break trip with Aunt Serena and Uncle Nate in her freshman year at NYU because Dad couldn't go. He was in the middle of one of his first acquisitions and couldn't take time away as it had reached a critical juncture. I won't bore you with the details as they are a bit personal, but Mom was in a bit of a funk. He wanted to do something special for her. They couldn't go to the beach, so he brought the beach to her. He…or your mother rather, had the entire living area transformed into a beach with lounge chairs and umbrellas, sand toys, the whole nine years."

"It's your father who thinks but all these romantic gestures, it's just her job to turn them into reality," Eddie replied.

"And she's very good at her job," Charlotte stated.

"She is that," Eddie agreed.

"I guess that's what I'm looking for…someone to makes the effort," Charlotte admitted out of the blue, "As great as Devon was, romantic gestures weren't his forte. Flowers were only for Valentine's Day, a day planner for Christmas, chocolate for my birthday."

"You don't like chocolate," Eddie recalled.

"You remember that?" Charlotte was taken aback, "And I don't dislike chocolate as much as I used to. I simply don't care for milk chocolate. It's too sweet for me."

"What kind of chocolate did Mister Actor Man give you?" Eddie asked.

"Milk chocolate," Charlotte admitted.

"And the flowers on Valentine's Day?" he asked.

"Carnations," she frowned, "In fairness to him, they were my favorite when I was five."

"They aren't now," Eddie stated.

"And how do you know?" Charlotte challenged him.

"I might have asked my mother for a bit of flower related advice," he admitted, "She said lilies were your favorite."

"Because of my grandma, Lily," Charlotte smiled, "Does that mean your mother knows were out on a date tonight?"

"She made sure to give me a good talking to about it first," he chuckled.

"What kind of talking to?" she inquired.

"Be careful…she's the boss's daughter…you hurt her, I will disown you," Eddie replied, "Typical mother/son conversations."

"She's the best," Charlotte laughed.

"How's the grub?" he motioned towards her plate which was nearly empty.

"Best Greek food I've had outside of Greece," she proclaimed, "I'm telling Aiden about this place. He's always looking for new restaurants to try and get ideas from."

"By all means, spread the word," Eddie encouraged her.

"You'd never catch Mom in this place though. It's way outside her comfort zone," Charlotte giggled.

"Queens would be a tough sell," Eddie agreed.

After dinner and dessert, they found a nearby park and took a stroll. The late autumn air had cooled considerably. Eddie, being the gentleman, shed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Have we managed to rise up to the bar your father set with your first date?" Eddie inquired.

"Pretty close," she laughed, "Although Daddy took me to a five star restaurant. My apologies to Mrs. Zeta, but the food was not quite at the same level."

"Fair enough," Eddie laughed, "I'll save up for the next date. Give me about a month, I'll have enough set aside for a five star meal."

"Don't you think it's awful bold of you to assume there's going to be a second date, Mister Fraser," she teased.

"And here I thought I we were having a good time," he chuckled, "Guess I'll need to turn on the charms a bit more. Should I pull out the British accent I learned?"

"God, no," Charlotte scoffed, "I like your voice just as it is."

"No appreciation for accented voices?" he inquired.

"When they aren't as phony as bologna," she responded, "I'm for of a sucker for a French accent. Grandpere Roman has one of the best. We mostly converse in French, but when he and my Grandpa Harold banter back and forth in English, it's hysterical. He usually gets flustered by the slang."

"I feel his pain. The slang they used in London was mindboggling. It took me a month to figure out a lift is an elevator, and the loo, just call it what it is, a toilet," Eddie laughed.

"Didn't you get some sort of guidebook before you went to London which explained all that?" Charlotte asked, "Dad always got those types of thing when he was preparing for trips in new countries. They covered local customs and laws, common phrases in the native language. They even had a section for slang."

"I was going to an English speaking country, what would I need the stupid guidebook for?" he exclaimed.

"To avoid sounding like some American wanker," she laughed.

"I figured it out just fine on my own," Eddie responded.

"Men," she rolled her eyes, "It's like asking for directions all over again."

"Why ask for directions when I have GPS on my phone?" he defended his gender.

"Then use the darn thing," she replied, "God, Devon and I once ended up in a seriously sketchy part of New York because he refused to read the subway map or get the directions on his phone."

"What is Charlotte Bass doing riding a subway?" he gasped in shock.

"I can manage the mass transit systems in this city just fine, thank you very much," she was quick to respond, "I'm not just some Upper East Side debutante who rode around in limos and town cars all my life. I am a true New Yorker. I ride subways. I eat pizza. I even enjoy street vendor hot dogs in Central Park."

"Who just so happens to have been born with a platinum spoon in her mouth?" he teased.

"That second date is looking like less and less of a reality," she huffed.

"I'm sorry. That was below the belt," Eddie was quick to apologize, "I know how important its been for you to be more than just Charlotte Bass. If I'm honest, I was always a bit jealous of you and your brothers. You were given pretty much everything you've ever asked for without much of a protest. My parents made Justin and I work for it, even when they could afford what we asked for."

"I wasn't always given everything I asked for," Charlotte replied, "To this day, I've never received the driving lessons I asked for. Daddy and I used to go around in circles about those until I was blue in the face."

"I would think driving a car would be the last thing you'd ever want to do, considering how your grandfather died, and that vicious accident your father was in several years back," he responded.

"It was just before Dad's accident," Charlotte frowned, "I was being such a brat about the driving lessons too. I lost any interest in operating a motor vehicle the night of his accident. Just thinking about what happened still causes my heart to flutter. We almost lost him that night."

"I'm sorry," Eddie's arm went around her waist to provide comfort, "I shouldn't have brought it up. I can't even imagine what you must have went through."

"It was definitely a wake up call," Charlotte admitted, "I've certainly never taken my father for granted after he recovered."

"Did he regain the nerve sensation in his fingers?" Eddie asked, "Mom said that was the last step in his recovery."

"Full sensation," she nodded, "Other than the gnarly scar on his arm, he's as good as new."

"Gnarly, huh," he repeated. He never thought the word would ever escape her lips.

"It's a legitimate word for what his scar looks like. If you ever see him with his sleeves rolled up or in a short sleeved shirt, you'll know exactly what I mean," she explained.

"Why didn't he have a plastic surgeon fix it?" Eddie asked.

"I asked him that once, and I never will ask again," Charlotte stated, "He said Mom is extra attentive when she's reminded of what happened, and his scar is a…you know what, I'm not even going to repeat it."

"Your parents are…" Eddie struggled with an appropriate word to use.

"Insatiable," Charlotte offered, "Believe me, I know better than anyone. Good lord, they can't keep their hands to themselves in any situation. My graduation from Constance, they were fooling around in one of the vacant classrooms. Said they were reminiscing about old times. Brice's graduation from Saint Judes, the headmaster caught them in one of the bathrooms. I don't know what they did during Aiden's graduation, but I'm pretty certain the entire faculty and board of directors are thankful they didn't have any more children."

Eddie fought not to laugh, but he knew he was losing the battle.

"They're ridiculous," Charlotte stated, "They've been together for almost three decades now. When is enough going to be enough with them?"

"Come on, it can't be that bad," Eddie tried to comfort her, "It could be worse. They could be divorced and only able to communicate between lawyers."

"Fair point," Charlotte conceded, "Honestly, I'm mostly immune to it now. Nothing they do surprises me anymore. I will say, I always call before I ride the elevator up the two floors to visit them. I don't want to walk in on anything traumatizing."

"Probably a good idea," Eddie laughed.

"They're not normal, right?" Charlotte asked.

"Not to their level, but my parents are pretty affectionate with each other," Eddie replied, "I don't know if they'd ever find themselves getting caught in a classroom or bathroom or anywhere else your parents have ever ended up, but it's obvious they love each other. Not that any kid wants to think about it, but they are still…physically attracted to each other to this day."

"So no luck on them slowing down with old age, huh," she frowned.

"Probably not," Eddie fought a bit more successfully not to laugh.

"Damn," she sighed, "Oh well. I've dealt with it for twenty-two years, what's another forty or fifty…hopefully sixty years."

"That's the spirit," he snorted.

"It's getting late," Charlotte glanced at her watch, "I promised Aiden we'd spend the day together tomorrow. He's even popping down in the morning to make me breakfast."

"So no sleepovers tonight, huh," he gave her a Cheshire grin.

"I'm not the girl who gives it up on a first date," Charlotte responded simply, "You've got to earn it, Buster."

"Oh, I intend to," he gave her an appreciative once over.

Charlotte only rolled her eyes in response.

"Come on, Buster, drive me home," she tugged on his arm.

Eddie guided her to the waiting town car. They rode nearly the entire way back to Manhattan in comfortable silence with their fingers entwined. When they arrived at her building, he insisted on seeing her safely to her penthouse apartment.

"I had a good time tonight," Charlotte slid his jacket from her shoulders and handed it to him.

"I hope you know the things I said about you being spoiled were meant in jest," he responded.

"I know," she entwined her hands with his, "I kinda like it. It suggests a bit of familiarity in whatever this thing is that is happening between us."

"Any embers flame out for you over the past three weeks?" he inquired.

"No," she shook her head and stepped towards him, "If anything the coals are heating up and about ready to ignite. You?"

"Definitely flames beginning to flicker," he smiled. "I'm a gentleman, so I'm going to ask…may I kiss you?"

"You'd better," she smiled.

Eddie freed his hands so he could cup her face. Their heads tilted slightly and then their lips made contact. Considering how long they had known each other, it could have felt awkward or weird even, but it felt natural.

"I think we should have done that a long time ago," Charlotte smiled when she pulled away.

"I think so too," Eddie dove in for a second kiss.

A few kisses later, Eddie forced himself to get onto the elevator after wishing her a final farewell. He made sure to tip the doorman and driver well to keep their secrets safe from her father and other prying eyes.

 **TBC…**

 **Author's Note: I want to address something brought up by one of the reviews.**

 **Eddie's background is more elite than middle class. Yes, he was raised differently, but not because his family couldn't afford the prep schools and the other perks Charlotte and her brothers had. He most definitely has a place in the Upper East Side.**

 **As mentioned many times throughout my series, his mother, Eugenia, is one of the most well compensated employees at Bass. Their family has most definitely led a comfortable life.**

 **I know I haven't worked in Eddie's background a lot into the story, but that's because this is being told mostly from Charlotte's perspective, and she knows him very well.**

 **By no means would I compare Eddie Fraser to Dan Humphrey.**

 **If I've offended said reviewer with my comments, I apologize, but I wanted to make sure Eddie is given the respect he's due, especially since it's been made quite clear throughout my storytelling that I'm not much of a Dan Humphrey fan.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Charlotte woke the morning after her date with Eddie to sunlight streaming into her room. She was completely baffled by the source. She knew the blinds were shut when she went to bed.

"Rise and shine, Sleepyhead," she heard her youngest brother's voice from the foot of her bed.

If anyone else had entered her bedroom in the morning, she'd have started the day with doling out a severe tongue lashing, but Aiden had been coming into her room first thing in the morning since he was a toddler. Sometimes it was just to jump into bed with his big sister to get more sleep, and others it was to have her read a good morning story to him. It had always been their time together.

"What time is it?" she sat up and stretched her arms dramatically.

"Nearly nine," he replied, "You nearly slept through breakfast. The housekeeper you hired has an authoritative flare about her like Dorota. She nearly tackled me to the floor when I said I was going to wake you."

"She's growing on me," Charlotte laughed, "Do I smell coffee?"

"Mocha soy latte, just how you like it," he held up a cup he'd made special for her.

"You're the best little brother in the world," Charlotte reached out for the cup and took a healthy gulp.

"Don't let Brice hear you say that," Aiden chuckled, "Don't want him getting jealous."

"He's an ocean away," Charlotte waved away the warning, "And he's not bringing me coffee."

"Better get dressed. Mom and Dad will be down shortly for breakfast," he advised her, "By the way, have I told you how much I love the set up of your kitchen. It all just flows so well."

"You've mentioned it once or twice," Charlotte pushed away the bed covers and slipped into her robe before pushing her brother towards the bedroom door. "I'll be out in twenty minutes."

"Make it fifteen or my quiche will be overdone," he stated.

"Done," Charlotte spun on her heel and headed towards her bathroom. She spotted the dress she'd worn the previous evening hanging where she'd left it. The memory of the previous evening put her in the best of moods.

Having dressed in record time in leggings and her favorite Columbia t-shirt, she floated into the dining room where her housekeeper was putting the finishing touches on the four place settings.

"Thank you, Dani," Charlotte smiled, "The table looks great."

Her housekeeper nodded and went to the entryway to greet Charlotte's parents when the elevator announced their arrival.

"I still can't get over our baby girl having a place of her own," Blair was bantering with her husband when she entered the dining room where Charlotte was sipping her coffee and going through the Sunday paper.

"Hi, Mom," Charlotte rose to hug each parent.

"Hi, Princess," Chuck hugged her, taking note of the wet hair she'd pulled back in a binder, "Sleep in this morning?"

"Been working long hours," Charlotte replied, "The CEO is a total hard ass. He's enforcing this insane deadline on the entire department."

"Sounds like a complaint to bring up with the Chairman of the Board," Chuck laughed.

"Chuck, you're supposed to be easing our daughter into her position," Blair backhanded her husband, "Fix it."

"It's okay, Mom," Charlotte chuckled while her father rubbed at his shoulder where Blair had made contact, "I'm actually almost done with my assignment. I've even offering my services to a few of my overwhelmed co-workers. No takers just yet, but I'm sure when the deadline comes closer my services will be in higher demand."

"That's my girl," Chuck kissed her forehead.

"Is Aiden in the kitchen?" Blair asked.

"Isn't he always?" Charlotte nodded.

"He loves your kitchen," Blair replied, "He suggested we remodel our kitchen to mirror your layout."

"It is due for a refresh," Charlotte snickered when her father groaned at the prospect of their penthouse going through another round of renovations. He'd barely survived the last one. He even moved the family to The Plaza until the repairs were complete because he couldn't stand the constant noise.

"Our kitchen is just fine," Blair reassured her husband, "Aiden can come down here and cook if he can't work in our kitchen."

"I'll happily accept his skills," Charlotte chimed in, "It beats hiring my own chef."

Aiden came in carrying his dish.

"Smells wonderful, Aiden," Blair kissed her son's cheek when he set their breakfast on the table.

"Quiche Lorraine," Aiden announced. He immediately cut into his creation and handed each family member a piece.

"We haven't had a Sunday breakfast together in ages," Blair placed her napkin in her lap, "If only Brice were here…"

"He's here in spirit, Beautiful," Chuck grasped her hand and brought it to her lips.

"He'll be back for Christmas," Charlotte added.

"He'd better if he knows what's good for him," Blair huffed.

The family released a chorus of laughter in reply and went about their breakfast, discussing the happenings of their lives since they last broke bread together. The familiar flow of many meals together showed in the way they bantered and laughed.

"You're wasting Daddy's money at CIA," Charlotte kissed her brother's cheek to congratulate him on another successful meal. "Learning anything new and useful yet?"

"It's mostly a review for me so far," Aiden admitted, "I have learned a few new tricks."

"Any time you want to cook for me, you're more than welcome to use my kitchen," Charlotte offered.

"Dangerous offer, Big Sis," Aiden responded, "Have I mentioned I love your kitchen?"

"A few times," Charlotte laughed, "It's still a standing offer, so long as I'm a beneficiary of your creations."

"Deal," he extended his pinkie to her to seal their pact. Charlotte linked her pinkie with his.

"You three and your pinkie swears," Blair laughed, "Are we still going to the park?"

"That's the plan," Charlotte nodded, "Though it's not as fun since Brice took Barty with him to France."

"You need a puppy," Aiden told his sister.

"How about dad gets you one?" Charlotte suggested.

"Oh no!" Blair protested, "I'm not going through all the obedience training again. I refuse to lose more shoes. I don't care how cute the puppy is."

"Awe," Charlotte and Aiden both moaned. When Brice moved permanently to France, he took his dog with him. It had been hard on both Charlotte and Aiden to stay goodbye to their beloved companion. Brice regularly sent pictures of the aging dog. He was clearly loving life on the vineyard. Brice even said he'd regained the bounce in his step.

"I'd be more than willing to lose a few shoes if I found the right dog," Charlotte replied.

"Maybe you, Aiden and I can go dog shopping after you finish your assignment," Chuck suggested.

"You're going to get me a dog for finishing my first assignment for Bass?" Charlotte raised a curious brow.

"It's a thought," Chuck smiled.

"So tempting," Charlotte laughed, "However I think we're past the days when you buy me things after an accomplishment."

"Since when?" Chuck snorted, "I believe I bought you this penthouse when you graduated from Columbia only months ago."

"This penthouse is the last gift I will accept…until I get married, then I want my own place in the Hamptons," Charlotte stated.

"Sweetheart, shoot a bit higher," Blair whispered in her ear, "Ask for an island in the Rivera."

"Oooh, that sounds much better," Charlotte's eyes widened with intrigue, "I want an island in the Rivera for a wedding gift."

"How about an archipelago," Aiden chimed in.

"Why don't I just buy you the moon and be done with it?" Chuck laughed.

"Come on, Daddy, let's go to the park," Charlotte linked her arm with her father and pulled him along. Blair and Aiden were only a step behind.

* * *

"You seem to be in an unusually good mood," Blair noted the radiant smile on her daughter's face when Aiden and Chuck decided to sail boats across the pond. "Does your good mood have anything to do with a certain date you went on last night with a certain gentleman caller?"

"How the heck could you possibly know I went out with anyone last night…Eugenia," Charlotte put together the answer to her question before her mother could get a word in.

"Charlotte, you have nothing to be embarrassed about nor am I going to talk you out of your decision to have dinner with Eddie," Blair assured her, "You are a grown woman who is capable of knowing what she wants. Just be smart about this. We've known Eddie nearly his entire life. Your father is extremely fond of him and sees him as a key player in the continued success in the company…just as he sees you."

"We're adults, Mom," Charlotte replied, "We can have dinners outside work and still remain professional at the office. Whatever does or does not happen between us, I would never want to jeopardize his future at Bass."

"Now that the warning is out of the way…how was the date?" Blair asked.

"Remember the date Daddy took me on when I was fifteen?" Charlotte asked.

"The one where you told me he took you to West Side Story, but instead it took you for a walk in the park and told you about my adventures in pot?" Blair asked.

"That date has always been my benchmark of what a date should and could be. Last night was better. It's the first time I've ever been able to say that," Charlotte admitted. "When I'm with him, I feel things I've never felt for anyone…not even Devon. He challenges me and makes me want to be a better person."

"Sounds like you're more than smitten," Blair smiled.

"When we kissed…I've never felt so…cherished," Charlotte replied, "Mom, I'm falling for him, hard. This is so crazy. I've known him my entire life. I've always had a crush on him, but what I feel now is so much more."

"By no means am I an expert in relationships," Blair began, "What your father and I have defies all logic. We shouldn't have worked, especially the way we first began, but those things you feel for Eddie and the way he challenges you and makes you want to be better…that's how I felt when your father and I started on this wonderful ride which will last the rest of my life."

"Mom," Charlotte's voice waffled, "I'm scared."

"Giving your heart to someone always is," Blair replied, "You have to be able to trust him enough to keep it safe. You need to figure out if Eddie is that person."

"I think I already know," Charlotte admitted.

"Take it slow, Charlotte," Blair put an arm around her daughter's shoulders, "If he truly is the one, then you have a life time to experience everything together."

"You and Daddy have always been the model for the relationship I've wanted, and it's not about the physical relationship you have. You two really love each other and support each other no matter what. How did you get there after everything you first went through?" Charlotte asked.

"We both had to learn to trust each other and trust that all the nastiness in the past was over," Blair replied.

"That's all it took?" she asked.

"With everything we went through, it wasn't as easy as it may seem," Blair responded, "It took work and some tears, but now we'd put our life in the other's hands without hesitation. The physical intimacy is an added bonus, but the trust we have is what really makes us work."

"When do I tell Dad?" Charlotte asked.

"When you're sure it's necessary," Blair stated.

"And if it already is?" Charlotte asked.

"Wait a few more months," Blair laughed, "Let me work on him a bit."

"Deal," Charlotte laughed along.

Aiden and Chuck returned from their sailboat excursion.

"Penguins or carousel?" Chuck asked his daughter.

"Carousel? What am I five?" Charlotte laughed.

"You like the carousel," Aiden chimed in.

"Yes, I did," Charlotte nodded, "When I was five."

"Come on, where's your youthful exuberance?" Aiden teased.

"If you want to ride the carousel, all you have to do is say so, Little Bro," Charlotte wrapped an arm around his midsection.

"Let's do it for old time's sake," Aiden suggested, "We can send pictures to Brice. Let him know the fun he's missing."

"Maybe we can entice him to come home," Blair thought out loud.

"I hate to break it to you, Beautiful," Chuck linked his arm with his wife, "I think he's going to make France his permanent home."

"Shh," she hushed him, "He hasn't made anything official yet."

"Unless we can create a booming wine industry here in Central Park, he's staying in France," Chuck replied.

"Get a move on it, Bass," Blair scowled at him, "It takes awhile for those trees to produce the necessary fruit."

"I'll see what I can do," he chuckled.

* * *

When the family returned to Charlotte's penthouse, there was a bouquet of flowers sitting in the entryway and a plethora of questions ensued. Charlotte ducked them all by proclaiming she had work to do.

"You almost got me in trouble," Charlotte answered her phone when Eddie called her a bit later to make sure she'd received the flowers he sent.

"How did I do that?" Eddie asked.

"My dad saw the flowers," Charlotte replied, "I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the phone with his private investigator right this very moment."

"Pretty sure I can convince my mother to call off the dogs," Eddie responded confidently.

"Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful," she replied.

"I had a good time last night," he stated.

"Me too," she bit her lip, nervously worrying it between her teeth.

"We should do it again…soon," he added.

"Definitely," Charlotte agreed.

"How about something a bit low key to celebrate meeting our deadline next weekend?" he suggested. "Does Charlotte Bass own a pair of jeans?"

"What exactly do you take me for?" she laughed, "Some snobby rich girl? I've have you know I have an entire section in my wardrobe devoted to jeans and t-shirts. My mother may not like the comfort of jeans, but I sure do."

"Good," he responded, "The place I'm taking you to is extremely casual. I'd hate for you to stand out."

"Can't wait," she responded.

"I've got a bit of work to do so I'll meet our deadline. Are we on for lunch tomorrow?" Eddie asked.

"Definitely," she replied.

 **TBC…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Ms. Bass, CEO Bass would like to speak with you," Charlotte's boss told her just as she was finalizing the last of the reports she was working on for one of her coworkers.

"Is everything alright?" Charlotte heard the seriousness in his tone.

"He's expecting you in two minutes," her boss refused to answer her question.

Charlotte made her way to the elevator and up to the top floor.

"Mister Bass is expecting you," Eugenia greeted her with a slight smile, so different from the way Charlotte was used to being greeted by her father's long time assistant.

Charlotte knocked slightly on the doorframe to get her father's attention and waited to be asked in.

"Close the door and have a seat," Chuck replied, waiting until her back was turned to take a deep breath to prepare himself for the conversation they were about to have.

"Is everything okay, Mister Bass?" Charlotte was unsure how to address him at the moment, so she went with the most professional. She wasn't sure if she was speaking to her boss or her father. Worst case scenarios were running through her head.

"I don't know how to start this conversation," Chuck admitted after opening his mouth several times and then stopping before he could get a word out. "There have been some allegations made against you."

"What!" Charlotte shrieked in reply, "What kind of allegations?"

Chuck picked up a file and handed it to her. "One of your coworkers is claiming you are using your last name and my influence to be given the easiest of assignments for the most recent project which allowed you to finish well before the deadline. This person is also claiming you bullied them do some of your work for you."

"That's just ridiculous!" Charlotte exclaimed while reading the file, "I didn't ask for any special treatment. I certainly didn't ask anyone to do any work for me, and I even offered to help one of my coworkers because they weren't going to be able to finish on time."

"I'm not going to lie, Charlotte, this is a serious allegation. HR has a duty to investigate," he responded.

"Let them," Charlotte thrust the file back at him, "I didn't do anything wrong. I don't want any special treatment."

"They're going to be looking through your files and your computer logs. They're going to access your badging information on your ID to see what and when you're accessing while at Bass Tower," Chuck stated, "If there is anything you're doing you shouldn't be, you need to tell me now."

"Dad!" she gasped, "What do you think I'm doing?"

"I don't know, Charlotte, but I will protect you in any way necessary," he replied.

"All HR is going to find when they go through my logs is me doing my job," Charlotte insisted.

"And no one has been helping you," he prompted.

"No!" Charlotte cried, "Dad, I'm doing what I was hired to do. You know me. You know how important it is to me to do a good job. I would never take shortcuts."

"I know," he took her hand to give her assurance. He could feel her practically shaking with rage. "Char, we're going to figure this out, and then we're going to reassign you to a new department."

"No!" Charlotte gasped, "Dad, you can't do that. If you do that now, you're letting this person who made the allegation win. You're only encouraging this kind of behavior in the next place I end up."

"If the allegation is indeed false…" Chuck began.

"Of course it's false," Charlotte protested.

"When the allegation is proven false, HR will have to take serious steps. Filing a false report with HR is a fireable offense," Chuck stated, "We will have no choice in the matter, and honestly Sweetheart, this is going to get messy. Your coworkers are going to pick sides, and I wouldn't count on many of them to be on yours."

"I know," she nodded as a tear tumbled down her cheek, "I didn't do this, Dad. You know I wouldn't."

"Yes, I do," he nodded, "This is my fault. I should have brought you in at a higher level within the organization. You wanted to work your way up, but I should have known something like this was going to happen. You should have started in my office and worked under me."

"How would I have learned the company then?" she protested.

"Same way I did," he responded.

"It was different for you," more tears started to tumble down her cheeks. Chuck quickly retrieved a tissue for her. "Grandpa Bart was gone, and the company needed a CEO. You had to jump in."

"Grandma Lily and her team of advisers were doing just fine," Chuck stated, "I jumped in because I wanted to. I wanted to prove to everyone, including myself, that I wasn't the failure they thought I was. I wanted to prove to your mother, that the trust she placed in me was well deserved."

"And you did all that," Charlotte replied, "I have something to prove too, to everyone including myself. I want to earn that seat in one of the corner offices on this floor. I don't want you handing it to me because my last name is Bass! I don't want to be seen as some spoiled princess!"

"Okay," he nodded, "You have an appointment with HR in ten minutes. You need to be completely truthful. I'm staying away from the investigation so it doesn't appear I'm influencing things, but Sweetheart, if there is something…anything I need to know, now is the time to tell me."

"This is about the flowers from last weekend," Charlotte realized.

"Are you seeing someone who works here at Bass? Is this someone helping you…guiding you?" Chuck asked.

"No…I mean yes, I mean no," Charlotte became flustered.

"Whatever you tell me, I promise not to overreact," Chuck replied. "Are you seeing someone?"

"Yes," she bobbed her head, "It's kinda complicated. We wanted to keep it quiet for a bit because we didn't want any unwanted attention."

"Is it Eddie Fraser?" Chuck asked. His nostrils flared a bit as he closely watched his daughter's reaction.

"How'd you know?" Charlotte was taken aback by his accurate guess.

"I'm not as clueless about your romantic life as I may appear," he chuckled slightly, "I tend to let you and your mother think I am, but I'm not."

"It's very new," Charlotte admitted, "We've only been out once, and it's not against company policy…I checked…a couple of times. As long as we're not in the same department, and we're not in a supervisory relationship at work, it's okay."

"I really need to rewrite that policy," he grumbled.

"Dad, don't be silly," Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"He's a few years older than you, and his rank in the company is higher," Chuck added, "The two of you need to be…discreet."

"Are you saying you're okay with me dating Eddie?" Charlotte was taken aback by his apparent approval of her relationship. Her father had never once liked anyone she had dated. His reply almost felt like a stamp of approval. That baffled her more than the false accusations made against her.

"Princess, I'll never be one hundred percent okay with anyone you date, but I've known Edward Fraser for most of his life. I know what kind of man he is. He also knows what kind of man I am and what kind of actions I'm capable of if he hurts my little girl," Chuck replied, adding a slightly sinister grin at the end.

"You wouldn't dare!" Charlotte scowled at him.

"Tell you what," he patted her shoulder, "I'll pretend to be oblivious to your relationship, until such time as you two are ready to reveal yourselves to all of us, formally."

"Promise me something, Daddy," Charlotte stated.

"You know I'd promise you the entire world if I could," he gave her a paternal smile.

"No matter what does or doesn't happen with me and Eddie, his career path at Bass stays on the same heading. He's climbing the ranks rapidly. I don't want that halted because of me," she responded.

"The sky is the limit for Mister Fraser," Chuck replied, "He can rise as far and as fast as he'd like, so long as he knows the top seat is off limits. I'm saving that for my princess."

Charlotte rolled her eyes when he added a wink.

"You'd better get down to HR," Chuck guided her to the door.

Charlotte felt all sorts of trepidation when she stepped out of her father's office. Her father's office had always been a sanctuary for her. He could protect her from in there, but in the rest of the tower she was on her own.

Eddie was leaning against his mother's desk, looking to Charlotte with great concern.

"I'm going to be fine," Charlotte reached for his hand.

"Come find me when you're done in HR," he caressed her cheek tenderly, surprising them both with his display of affection, putting it out there for both families to see just how close they were becoming.

"I will if I can," she nodded. She could feel her father's eyes on them. She wondered what thoughts were going through his mind at the moment.

"Whatever you need, I will support you," he vowed.

"I know," she nodded.

He walked her to the elevator but allowed her to ride down on her own.

"Mister Fraser, a word," Chuck called out to the younger Fraser in the room.

Eddie nodded and followed Chuck into his office. He felt a mild sense of panic when he heard the door close behind him. All the stories of how protective Chuck was of his children he'd heard from his mother started flashing through his mind.

"I suppose you're wondering what the exchanged you witnessed moments ago was all about," Eddie was surprised by the lack of nervousness in his voice, especially since he figured he was moments away from unemployment.

"Charlotte and I have spoken. She revealed the two of you have become close," Chuck chose his words carefully, "I will respect Charlotte's decision so long as you respect my daughter. She made me promise no matter what happens between the two of you I will not redirect your career path here at Bass. I will honor her wishes so long as you do not disrespect my daughter. I love Charlotte more than anything, more than my own life, more than Bass Industries, if you hurt her…"

"Mister Bass, my intentions towards Charlotte are honorable," Eddie halted his mentor from continuing, "You have my word I will treat her with the respect and care she deserves. I would not have risked all I have worked for on anyone less."

"She's young," Chuck stated, "She has not seen much in the way of cruelties in this world. She is only now truly experiencing life on her own. I want her to experience all the joys it can offer."

"So do I," Eddie nodded.

"I'm hoping you can do what I no longer am able," Chuck's jaw clinched as he spoke, "Keep her safe."

"You have my word I will do as much as she allows," Eddie nodded.

"This tangle with HR…do not let her take this lightly," Chuck responded, "I cannot get involved no matter how much I want to."

"She didn't do what she is accused of," Eddie was quick to defend her, "I've watched her work. I've read her work. It's good. She has natural instincts for what she's doing. This is nothing more than an attempt by a jealous coworker to tarnish her name and her work ethic."

"I agree," Chuck nodded.

"What are you going to do about it?" Eddie asked.

"Wait for the investigation to be concluded, for Charlotte to be vindicated and then deal with the situation appropriately," Chuck replied.

"Make it look good and then take whoever this is to the unemployment line," Eddie translated with an amused smirk, "They certainly picked the wrong person to mess with."

"They did indeed," Chuck agreed.

"I didn't expect or seek out a relationship with Charlotte," Eddie began.

"But," Chuck prompted him.

"I care about her more than I've ever cared about anyone I've ever dated," Eddie replied, "You need to know that I will treat your daughter as she deserves."

"You know who I am, Edward," Chuck reminded the younger man, "You know the lengths I go for my family."

"Yes, my mother has had a front row seat," Eddie nodded.

"Which is why I'm choosing my words carefully," Chuck's words were laced with an intimidating edge, "I will end your career if you ever…"

"Mister Bass," Eddie cut him off, "With all due respect…"

"No," Chuck returned the favor and cut the younger man off, "I need to say this, so you know exactly what is at stake. The woman that you're professing to have powerful feelings for, she is my world. Everything good I've ever done is for her. You say your mother has had a front row seat and that you know exactly what I'm capable of but your wrong. You have no idea what will happen if you hurt my daughter because even I don't know. Keep that in mind, Mister Fraser."

"Yes, sir," Eddie could hear the conviction in his idol's voice, and quite frankly he hoped Chuck followed through on whatever threat he was making. He would feel horrible if he ever hurt Charlotte.

* * *

After Charlotte finished answering her questions, she was escorted by a member of Human Resources to her office to gather her personal effects. She would be on administrative leave until the investigation was complete. She was relieved she'd turned in her files on the merger to her supervisor earlier in the morning, so her assignment was complete. She saw the nearly completed files for her coworker on her desk and it made her a bit sick. She was tempted to shred them, but with HR looking over her shoulder she left them sit on her desk. She never should have offering to help anyone in her department, especially after the interrogation she'd gone through for two plus hours. She didn't know if she could ever come back to the department she was working in.

Her coworkers were all staring at her when she left her office with the HR representative. She didn't look. She squared her shoulders and kept her head held high. She'd done nothing wrong. She wanted everyone to see that.

The HR representative took her badge when she left the building. Her father's driver was waiting for her with the limo. He gave her as comforting a smile as he could when he held the door for her.

"This sucks, Arthur," Charlotte stated before climbing into the car.

"It's merely a bump along the road," he offered her the only words of wisdom he had for the situation.

She pulled out her phone and called Eddie to let him know she wouldn't be able to meet him. He offered to stop by her place after work, but she refused. She wanted to be alone. He let her know he was available night or day if she needed to talk.

Daniella was waiting at the elevator door with a sympathetic smile. Charlotte's father had obviously called ahead to warn her.

"I'm going to take a bath," Charlotte stated.

"It's already drawn and the wine is breathing," Daniella smiled.

"Anticipating my needs already," Charlotte smiled slightly, "Thank you. If anyone stops by, please tell them I'm not up for visitors."

"Yes, Ma'am," Daniella nodded.

Charlotte was a third of a glass into her self-pity party when her mother burst into her bathroom.

"Mom, what?" Charlotte covered herself as best she could with the bubbles of the bath, "Have you ever heard of knocking?"

"Your father told me what happened," Blair handed her daughter a towel and turned away too allow Charlotte to dry. "You are not going to wallow alone. I'm taking you to Bendel's, and we're going to get mani-pedis. Serena is meeting us there."

"I see the news is quickly making the rounds with the family," Charlotte kept herself seated in her bath, "I'll stay here."

"I'm not taking no for an answer. You've thirty minutes to get dried and dressed. I'll take you to Bendel's in a bathrobe if it comes to it, and don't think I won't do it because I will," Blair spun around and crossed her arms in front of her chest to show she was holding firm.

"Fine," Charlotte huffed and motioned for her mother to turn around again so she could get out of the tub.

"Twenty nine minutes," Blair cautioned her daughter, "I'll be waited in the foyer."

Charlotte muttered under her breath the entire time she dressed. Fortunately she hadn't yet gotten around to washing her hair or face, so she still looked presentable.

"I even have four minutes to spare," Charlotte told her mother. She was in her favorite yoga pants and tee Brice had sent her from France. It bared the emblem of her grandfather's vineyard in France.

"Arthur is waiting for us downstairs," Blair linked her arm with her daughter's, "Daniella, don't worry about dinner. I will be taking Charlotte for a bite after our mani-pedi's."

"Yes, Ma'am," Daniella nodded her head and then scurried away to resume her daily routine, which had been interrupted by the sudden arrival of her employer.

"This day can't get more humiliating, can it?" Charlotte asked when they emerged from their building to a few paparazzi who had arrived to photograph the pair.

"Those vultures never miss a chance to intrude on our lives," Blair did her best to ignore their presence and ushered her daughter into the waiting vehicle.

"How in the world did they find out about this anyways?" Charlotte frowned, "HR told me the investigation would be sealed until they made their determination."

"There is always someone out there ready to make a quick buck on our apparent misfortune," Blair rubbed her daughter's shoulder, "Don't worry about the paps. Your father will take care of things."

"Doesn't he always," Charlotte smiled, "God, Mom, it was so embarrassing being ushered out of the building like I was some common criminal."

"I know, Sweetheart," Blair hugged her daughter around the shoulders.

"Why would someone do something like this? There is nothing to gain from it," Charlotte replied, "I've tried to fit in, but no matter what I did, they couldn't look at me as anything other than Charlotte Bass, the CEO's daughter."

"Perhaps your trouble was trying to fit in. You've always stood out in a crowd because of your beauty and intelligence and compassion," Blair responded, "You made friends at Bass before. You'll do it again by being yourself."

"Those friends at Bass were friends because they didn't know who I was," Charlotte replied, "I should go back to being Charlotte Black. It was so much easier then."

"Life isn't always easy," Blair stated, "People are going to have to accept who you are, and it starts by you accepting yourself. You're Charlotte Evelyn Waldorf Bass. Your father and I are so proud of the woman you've become."

"Maybe I don't know who Charlotte Evelyn Waldorf Bass really is," Charlotte sighed, "I wanted to be CEO because I wanted to be like Daddy. Maybe being a CEO isn't for me."

"It is," Blair encouraged her, "You graduated from one of the most competitive business programs in the country with the highest marks. You've met and impressed some of the smartest and most well connected people in the world. Don't let this little bump in the road get you down. You'll get through this."

"Do you think Daddy will really stay out of the investigation?" Charlotte asked her mother.

"Yes, I think he will," Blair nodded, "After the investigation, I think the gloves will be coming off. Your father is furious with the entire department, especially that spineless boss of yours. Expect some changes when you do go back, none of which have anything to do with you or this investigation. Your father is kicking himself for putting you in the department to start with. You would have done better with a stronger leader."

"Daddy knows about me and Eddie," Charlotte replied.

"I should have known he wasn't as clueless as he seemed," Blair laughed, "He was alarmingly calm about the flowers you received on Sunday. He didn't ask any probing questions…he didn't really ask me any questions at all that afternoon."

"That's all I need to hear about that," Charlotte cut her mother off before she could go into more detail than Charlotte was comfortable with.

"What has Eddie said about what is happening?" Blair asked.

"He knows I didn't do anything wrong and is willing to give HR his side of things. It's not like he'll be kept out of it anyways. HR already knows we've been spending most of our lunch hours together and leave the office together most nights."

"Sweetheart, have you been keeping details from me?" Blair eyed her daughter curiously.

"No, it's not what you're thinking," Charlotte replied, "It was just friendly bantering back and forth at first. It's only been the past few days where he's ridden home with me and walked me to my apartment."

"And," Blair prompted her.

"And kissed me goodnight," Charlotte felt herself blushing.

"And," Blair prompted a second time.

"That's been it…so far," Charlotte admitted, "We're taking things slow, remember."

"And now that your father knows, are things going to speed up?" Blair asked.

"I don't think so," Charlotte shook her head, "I still want to keep things quiet, as quiet as we can with the stupid paparazzi camped outside our building. It's still so new, and who knows where it will lead, maybe nowhere. Why drag him through the mud unnecessarily?"

"You were singing a completely different tune this weekend," Blair reminded her, "You were gushing over him and saying things like he was your soul mate. Don't let this mess at work change your mind."

"I just wish I didn't have to drag him into my mess," Charlotte sighed.

"None of it is your fault," Blair stated. They arrived at Bendel's and were greeted by a very sympathetic Serena who immediately engulfed her goddaughter in a warm hug.

An afternoon of mani-pedis and then dinner at her favorite sandwich shop was exactly what Charlotte needed. Even returning to a paparazzi infested building didn't seem quite so daunting.

Charlotte was stunned when she arrived at her apartment to Eddie waiting for her with a bouquet of white roses.

"You didn't have to stop by," Charlotte went immediately to embrace him, ignoring her mother and the really bad excuse she was making for leaving them alone.

"Of course I did," he held Charlotte close. "How are you doing?"

"Better now," Charlotte inhaled his scent. He was still dressed in his business attire from the office, but his jacket had been shed, tie loosened, and sleeves rolled up. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," Eddie shrugged, "Twenty minutes or so. Daniella was about to bring me a sandwich. She told me you were on your way home."

"You haven't eaten yet?" Charlotte realized.

"Came straight from the office," he offered her the flowers still in his hand, "After one stop at the florist."

"They're beautiful," she inhaled their scent.

"I went back and forth between the roses and the lilies. I already gave you two bouquets of lilies this week. I thought three might be overkill."

"I like roses too," Charlotte assured him, "Any flowers really are always welcome."

"I'll keep that in mind," he chuckled.

"Dani, will you bring Eddie's sandwich into the dining room," Charlotte called out to her housekeeper and then lead Eddie further into her home.

As it was the first time he was seeing more than the entryway, Eddie couldn't help marveling at the lush surroundings. He'd been to Chuck and Blair's penthouse apartment numerous times over the years. There were some similarities between the two residences, but this home clearly was Charlotte's. It had touches of her everywhere.

"I'll give you the tour after you eat something," Charlotte caught him looking around, "You must be starving."

"I am," he confirmed, "I skipped lunch today because my lunch buddy wasn't available to join me…How'd it go with HR? Can you even talk about it?"

"I can talk in general terms," she replied, "It went okay…I guess. I gave my side of things. I answered all their questions honestly. I've done all I can really. I have to trust everyone else will do the same…God, this just came out of nowhere. I thought I was really starting to make headway with my coworkers."

"Do you know who it was to make the complaint?" he asked.

"I wasn't given a name, but I have a pretty good idea," she stated. "Has HR gotten around to you yet?"

"Yes," he nodded, "I was pretty high on their list of witnesses."

"I hope you're not affected by any of this," she frowned.

"So what if I am," he waved off her concern, "I'd put myself in the middle of this if it helps you. You're good at your job. I know you just started, but everything you've done so far is beyond brilliant."

"You're just saying that because we're…what are we exactly? We're not just friends anymore," Charlotte replied, "We're way more than acquaintances."

"Confidantes," he offered.

"Confidante, huh," she rolled the word around a bit in her mind. She liked it.

"With benefits," he added.

"What kind of benefits?" she raised a brow.

"These kind," he leaned in and kissed her lips softly.

Daniella came in and discreetly placed the sandwich in front of Eddie and disappeared before either were aware of her presence.

"Think she magically poofed this plate of food in here?" Eddie was taken aback by the food in front of him.

"Dorota used to do this sort of thing for my parents too," Charlotte laughed, "She must be sharing tricks of the trade. Dig in, Mister Fraser. It looks good."

"Have you eaten?" he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Mom and I met Aunt Serena for manis and pedis at Bendel's, and then had a bite to eat," Charlotte's head bobbed as she stole a chip from Eddie's plate and popped it in her mouth.

"How are you really doing, Charlotte?" he reached for her hand.

"Not so good," she admitted, tears welling in her eyes, "I'd been prepared for a certain level of distrust amongst my coworkers, but not what I experienced. A couple of them said really horrible things about me when they didn't think I could hear. I thought I was past these sort of things having an affect on me after getting some experience with them at Constance and Columbia, but I guess graduating has graduated me to an entirely new level of mean girls."

"It shouldn't be like that, Charlotte," he squeezed her hand, "No one should ever have to experience those types of things in any level of life, certainly not in a professional place of business. Did you make HR aware of these issues?"

"I did today," she swallowed the lump she felt forming in her chest, "Until today I figured it would take a bit of time to warm up to me, but I'd say that period of frost definitely solidified into a full blown sheet of ice when they took their ridiculous claims to HR."

"I have a theory," he replied.

"About what?" she looked puzzled by his statement.

"About why someone went to HR," he elaborated.

"Fire away," she responded.

"There were a few within your department who were in danger of missing their deadlines on the merger. One in particular is already on probation for missing other deadlines. To cover their own asses, they went after you, claiming you were impeding their efforts."

"Interesting theory, but we have no proof," she replied.

"Accept when they miss their deadlines," he replied, "It's tomorrow after all."

"I was helping them and this entire time they were plotting behind my back," Charlotte sighed, "I won't make that mistake again."

"Don't say things like that," he scolded her, "You were trying to be a team player. Don't let this one bad incident ruin who you are. One of the greatest things about your father is his willingness to pitch in where he can. I heard stories all the time about him from my mentor in London. According to him, your father could probably walk all the way across the Atlantic simply by the way he conducted his business. Bass is a great company with a lot of great employees. You'll see that when you get back to work."

"If I get back to work," Charlotte amended.

"You will," he assured her.

"I hope so," she bit her lip, "Did you finish your reports?"

"Turned the last one in before I left the office today," he nodded, "Hopefully your father agrees with my recommendations."

"If he's smart, he will," Charlotte smiled.

"Your father knows about us," Eddie admitted.

"I know," she nodded, "He asked me straight out today when he called me into his office to discuss the HR situation. I think it will be okay."

"I think so too," Eddie brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly before resuming his meal, "What are you going to do with your day tomorrow?"

"I'm heading to the Hamptons for the weekend," she stated, "I need to get away from the city and all the noise for a few days. With the summer season over and the weather cooling down, it will be exactly what I need."

"Is your family joining you?" he asked.

"No," Charlotte shook her head, "Aiden's school is having a fundraiser. Naturally Mom and Dad are attending. He's already being given a showcasing spot. Considering he's only two months into his training, I'd say he's the star of his class."

"Mom says he's a really brilliant chef," Eddie responded.

"He is," Charlotte agreed, "CIA is really a waste of his time, but it's what he wants."

"What's his ultimate goal?" Eddie asked.

"He wants his own restaurant," Charlotte stated, "He's been working on a menu since he was fourteen. The dishes he has set already are amazing. We're talking Michelin five stars here."

"Think he'd ever need a new guinea pig to try out his dishes?" Eddie inquired, "My palate may not be quite as refined as one Charlotte Bass, but I'm quite a foodie in my own right."

"I'm sure he'd jump at the chance," Charlotte responded, "He loves hearing new opinions. I'll make sure to mention your offer next chance I get."

"Since you're going to the Hamptons, I guess we'll need a rain check on weekend plans," he replied.

"I totally forgot all about our plans. I'm so sorry," she gave him a sheepish look, "Is it too late to cancel? You aren't going to lose a security deposit or anything, are you?"

"I told you it was a casual place. Reservations weren't even an option," he assured her, "It will still be there when you come back and things have calmed down."

"Why don't you come out to the Hamptons?" she suggested, "There is more than enough room at my parents' castle."

"Castle?" he raised a brow.

"That's right, you've never seen the Hamptons estate. It's legitimately a castle," Charlotte laughed, "Dad bought it for Mom a long time ago, even before they were married. I think it might have been an engagement gift or something. Who knows anymore, but really you should come. There are plenty of great places to eat even now that the summer crowds have disappeared for the year."

"Are you sure I wouldn't impose?" he asked.

"You couldn't possibly," Charlotte assured him, "You'll see what I mean when you see the size of their place…it's ridiculous."

"There is a lot about your family's wealth which is ridiculous," Eddie pointed out.

"I'll have Daddy put the chopper crew on standby for you," she continued on as if she hadn't heard him, "You could leave right from the office if you want. It's a short ride from New York."

"Making my case quiet nicely," Eddie added.

"It's a perk of rubbing elbows with the Bass family," Charlotte scolded him with a look, "Enjoy it for what it is."

"I'll try my best," he snorted.

"So yes or no to the chopper?" she asked.

"I'll take the Jitney," he shook his head.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged, "The chopper is more fun."

"I'll probably be able to get away a bit early tomorrow. What time are you planning on leaving?" he asked.

"Noon," she responded.

"Perhaps we could share a chopper?" he suggested.

"Are you sure you can get free that early?" she asked.

"I've been putting in seventy hours work weeks for nearly four weeks straight. I'd say I deserve an afternoon off," he replied, "I'll call you tomorrow after I swing it with my boss."

"Deal," she smiled, "Fortunately being banished from the office doesn't mean I'm banished from the Bass family perks. I still have access to all the toys."

"I hate to break it to you, Charlotte, but you sound a bit spoiled when you say things like that," he chuckled.

"Good," she laughed.

* * *

"Thanks for coming over even though I said you didn't have to," Charlotte saw Eddie to the elevator after spending the evening together. Most of the night was spent simply enjoying being together. They watched one of Charlotte's favorite movies in her theater with a bowl of popcorn between them.

"Of course I came over," he kissed her cheek, "I was worried about you."

"You must have broken a lot of hearts in London," she traced his chin, "With these dimples and smile and these green eyes, I'm sure you had your choice when it came to the ladies."

"Didn't have the time," he shook off her suggestion.

"Didn't make the time," she amended, "Works out well for me. I'd hate to pull out my lacrosse stick and swat away the competition."

"There is no competition," he cupped her chin and pressed his lips to hers. Charlotte sighed into the kiss. She could get lost in his kisses. "I forgot about lacrosse. You certainly were well rounded as a child…ballet, acting, horseback riding, and lacrosse. Is there anything you couldn't do?"

"I'm not altogether musically inclined," she admitted, "I took piano lessons for a bit, but they were just dreadful. Thankfully Daddy let me stop. Brice is extremely talented when it comes to the piano. If the vineyard thing doesn't work out, he could work as a pianist and make a very good living. Mom used to call him her little Mozart."

"My apologies to Brice, but my focus is on you at the moment," his lips went to hers again. "I'll call you tomorrow with an update."

"Good night, Eddie," she smiled.

"Good night, Charlotte," he echoed.

 **TBC…**

 **Alright, the cat is sort of out of the bag. So Chuck's reaction is pretty mild so far, right? Don't expect that to last.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Charlotte was taken aback when her mother came into her dining room while Charlotte had breakfast. She glanced at the clock. "Shouldn't you be busy at at your loft churning out the next best trend?"

"Don't be silly," Blair laughed, "I'm engaging in a protest of sorts against Bass Industries. I took the day off to spend with you…Daniella says you're off for a weekend in the Hamptons."

"I was going to start packing after breakfast," Charlotte confirmed, "I just want to get away from the city for a few days to clear my head."

"I certainly don't blame you. Did you want some company? I'm sure Aiden will understand if I skip his event," Blair offered.

"Don't you dare," Charlotte scoffed, "This showcase is important to him. I already feel bad for missing it myself even though he says he understands with everything going on."

"You should have heard the way he ranted last night to your father," Blair laughed, "And Brice…I almost had to mute the phone line for a bit. They are both steaming mad."

"Brice called last night after he found out," Charlotte confirmed, "Threatened to come back to the states to show those people you can't mess with one Bass without taking on the rest."

"Your brothers are certainly protective," Blair smiled with pride, "Are you sure you don't want company? I don't like you spending all this time alone with everything going on."

"Eddie's coming with me," Charlotte felt her cheeks crimson at her confession, "He called a bit ago. We're leaving around two. We were planning on leaving at noon, but he has another appointment with HR today. They apparently have some follow up questions for him."

"Going away for a weekend together already?" Blair raised a brow.

"It's not like that, Mom," Charlotte was quick to reply, "He just offered to come with, and like you said, I didn't want to be alone this weekend. I knew you and Dad were busy, and Brice is thousands of miles away. My sorority sisters are carrying on with their own careers."

"I know you have dozens of close friends, but it's times like this I wish you had a Serena," Blair curled a strand of her daughter's hair around her finger, "It's times like this when you need your best girlfriend."

"I have that," Charlotte smiled, "In you."

Blair beamed with pride. Being a supportive mother and having a healthy relationship with her daughter had always been so important to her especially after the turbulence she'd had during her youth with her own mother. She felt herself getting a bit misty eyed.

"You've had nearly a day to process everything. How are you holding up?" Blair asked.

"Still mad as hell," Charlotte admitted, "Unfortunately there isn't anything I can do until HR finishes its investigation. At least I'm still getting paid while on leave."

"Because you have so many expenses," Blair laughed.

"The perks of being a Bass," Charlotte shrugged slightly, "Getting laid off doesn't mean the gravy train ends."

"That business manager position at CB Fashions could still come available, if you're interested," Blair offered.

"I love you, Mom," Charlotte smiled brightly, "Us working together would be a very bad idea. Nothing would get done. We'd just rave over one design after another."

Blair laughed in reply.

"I'll have you know, I gave your father a severe tongue lashing for this entire situation," Blair stated, "He should have taken care of this."

"It's not his fault…it's not anyone's fault except the person or persons who are doing this," Charlotte replied. "It will be okay."

"Eat up," Blair suggested, "I'll help you pack. If we have time, I'll take you to that patisserie you love so much before you have to meet Eddie. I assume you're taking your father's helicopter."

"Is there any other way to travel to the Hamptons?" Charlotte laughed.

"You certainly are my daughter," Blair hugged her tight.

* * *

Charlotte felt her heart flutter when she entered Bass Tower and made her way to the reception area to get a visitor pass to her father's office. He'd called with a last minute offer of lunch. Since she was taking the helicopter directly from Bass, it was a natural stop, so she'd accepted.

"Charlotte Bass to see Charles Bass," Charlotte told the receptionist. The receptionist did a double take before typing away on her keyboard. This had been a common routine before she came to work at Bass. She'd had lunch with her father once a week while at Columbia. Now the routine felt awkward.

The receptionist handed her the visitor badge without checking for an ID. Charlotte wasn't surprised. She was surprised by the whispered, "You'll be back at work in no time. The administrative staff is pulling for you."

"Thank you," Charlotte gave a slight nod and then badged her way to the executive elevator bank.

She was greeted the moment she stepped off the elevator onto her father's floor with a warm hug from Eugenia.

"Are you rallying the troops for support?" Charlotte asked Eugenia while they walked arm and arm towards her father's office.

"Why ever would you say that?" Eugenia gave a coy smile.

"The administrative staff is pulling for me?" Charlotte raised a brow.

"I didn't start the rally," Eugenia responded defensively, "You have more supporters here at Bass than you may realize."

"I love you, Eugenia," Charlotte hugged the woman who she had seen as an honorary aunt over the years. The irony of her now dating her son was not lost on Charlotte.

"Eddie will be up as soon as he gets free," Eugenia reply, "I have the helicopter on standby up on the roof."

"Dad's okay with Eddie joining me?" Charlotte looked to Eugenia nervously.

"Good heavens do you think I'm that dense," Eugenia's eyes went wide, "I didn't tell him Eddie was joining you when I had him approve your flight request."

"Further proof of how amazing you are," Charlotte laughed. She hugged Eugenia one final time before knocking on her father's doorframe and stepping inside.

"Perfect timing," Chuck motioned towards the food on the table steps away from his desk, "It was just delivered."

"Mom's mad at you for stealing me away for lunch today," Charlotte told him.

"I appreciate the warning. I'll make sure to smooth things over when I get home this evening," he guided her to the table. "How are you doing, Princess?"

"As well as I can be, I guess," she frowned for a moment.

"The Hamptons staff should have everything ready for your arrival when you land," he stated.

"I'm sure they will," Charlotte nodded, "Eugenia is always on top of things. How this family will ever run without her is… frightening."

"Don't I know it," Chuck laughed.

Charlotte's favorite comfort foods were waiting. "Did you have Chef come in and make all this?"

"I might have made a call to have him start his day a bit early," Chuck gave a coy response, "He was happy to do it when I said it was for Charlotte."

"He makes the best macaroni and cheese," Charlotte snatched up the container and dove right in.

"He also made a batch of your favorite dark chocolate brownie balls to take with you on your trip," he motioned towards the sealed container.

Charlotte opened the container and offered one to her father before stealing one for herself. She knew they were his favorite too. It was one of the reasons they became her favorite in the first place.

"You're smart for leaving the city for a few days," Chuck replied, "Let the news breathe for a bit."

"What has the Board of Directors had to say about yesterday's events?" Charlotte asked.

"They're concerned," he admitted, "Not about whether or not you'll be exonerated, more so about how the claim might follow you throughout your career here at Bass. How we handle the fallout will be a delicate balancing act."

"Dad, when the investigation is finished and the claim is proven false, are you going to fire the person who made it?" Charlotte asked.

"I'd be well within my legal rights," Chuck replied, "I've fired people for far less."

Charlotte winced as he spoke.

"Charlotte, I'm sorry for the spot I put you in. I never should have put you in an unstable department. I should have done a bit more research, but you said Mergers and Acquisitions is what interested you most," he apologized.

"It still is," Charlotte replied, "I like what I do, Dad, and I think I can do it well."

"Yes, you can," he agreed, "You will continue to do so. However you will be given a better team to support your professional growth."

"Don't fire them," Charlotte replied, "Probably reprimand them and then reassign them to duties to better fit their skillsets."

"You're making it sound like more than one person brought about this investigation," Chuck eyed her curiously.

"Because I think it is," Charlotte admitted, "I have suspicions but no proof to back it up. Dad, please, don't make things worse by firing them. If you do, they'll go to the press, maybe even hire lawyers and sue the company. It could drag out for years and drag you and Bass along with it."

"I can't do nothing, Charlotte," he responded, "Doing nothing might encourage others in the future to make similar claims."

"I'm not saying do nothing," Charlotte replied, "I'm just saying don't do anything extreme."

"I'll take your request under advisement," he stated.

"Thank you," Charlotte dove back into her mac and cheese. "You're the best daddy in the world. Do you know that?"

"That's a pretty bold statement, Char," he laughed, "Have you even met all the other fathers in the world?"

"I don't need to," she responded, "Who else would call up his chef just so his daughter could have her favorite foods when she's having a bad day?"

"You make it sound like such a chore," he chuckled, "It was a simple phone call."

"It's not the phone call," Charlotte replied, "It's the thought behind it. You could have gotten my favorite takeout instead and that would have been enough, but you took it a step further. You always have."

"Always will," he smiled, "You're one of the four best things in my life, Charlotte."

Charlotte returned his smile. They talked shop for a bit, discussing a newer acquisition the company was contemplating. Chuck loved that his daughter was up enough on Bass news to have an opinion even though she'd been buried in a completely different assignment for weeks.

"I think you should let this one go," Charlotte gave her opinion after hearing her father's rather enthusiastic pitch on the new startup company's strengths and the reasons he wanted to acquire it, "It's dead weight. You could get R&D to start from scratch and it would be a heck of a lot cheaper and the quality would be ten times better."

"You think so?" Chuck gave her opinion some thought.

"Did you look at the inventor's background? He doesn't have any engineering knowledge. He can't even get the device to work half the time. When it does work, it's by pure luck. Pay him for the research he's given you and then free him to do something else. It's still going to be more money than he's probably ever seen or will see in his lifetime," Charlotte replied, "We don't need his 'talents' at Bass too."

"Mister Bass," Eugenia poked her head into the office an hour later, "You have a conference call in five minutes.

Chuck growled at her for the formal way he was addressed.

Charlotte and Eugenia both had a good chuckle about it.

"And Charlotte, the helicopter is ready for you. The Hamptons staff has made all the necessary preparations," Eugenia added.

"I'd better get going," Charlotte glanced at her watch. She couldn't believe how quickly the time had passed while talking to her father about business.

"Don't forget to take your brownies," Chuck held out the container for her.

"How could I forget?" Charlotte snatched the container. She was about to stuff it into her travel bag, but decided to offer one to Eugenia first.

"He's waiting for you on the roof," Eugenia spoke softly so Chuck wouldn't hear as she quickly snatched up a couple of the sweet treats to get her through the rest of her day.

"I'd better get going," she added the container to her bag and then bounced over to hug her father. "Thanks for lunch."

"Call me when you get back to the city," Chuck kissed her cheek.

"I will," she nodded and hugged him a second time.

 **TBC…**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to leave me hanging," Eddie greeted her with a relieved smile when she joined him at the helipad atop the Bass Industries building. "It's a bit chilly up here."

"Sorry," she gave him a quick kiss, "I was having lunch with my dad. I couldn't very well say I needed to leave so we could steal away for the weekend."

"Fair point," he laughed and ushered her towards the helicopter.

Charlotte helped him settle in while the pilot revved up the engines. She could see the nervousness in Eddie's features.

"Daddy has the best pilot in New York," Charlotte reassured Eddie when the pilot lifted them from the helipad. She grasped his hand while they flew over the famed New York skyline. "Pretty incredible, isn't it."

"Amazing," he agreed.

"I wish I remembered the first time I was able to appreciate it," Charlotte replied.

"How old were you when you took your first helicopter ride?" he asked.

"I was just a baby," Charlotte replied, "Dad says I cheered when the chopper left the helipad. I then pressed myself up against the glass and looked out in total bewilderment. I probably slobbered all over the glass."

"Flying never bothered you?" he asked.

"Never," she shook her head, "Mom's not altogether thrilled with it, but as long as it's the Bass jet she's okay. She knows my father spares no expense when it comes to the upkeep of the jet flying his family."

"He spares no expense with anything relating to his family," Eddie replied.

"True enough," Charlotte laughed. She let Eddie enjoy his first ride to the Hamptons. His appreciation for all the things she'd just accepted in life as givens was refreshing.

"You aren't kidding about this place being a castle," Eddie gazed upon the Bass family's summer retreat for the first time after a short ride from the helipad to the Bass family estate.

"I even had my own tower as a child," Charlotte laughed and pointed towards a specific window, "Daddy built me a playroom up there when I was a child. Once I locked myself inside and pretended to be Rapunzel. Mom about lost her mind because no one had a key, and I refused to open the door. When they finally got me out, Mom made the staff remove the lock so I couldn't do it again. I don't know if I've ever seen, or heard rather, my mom so panicked as she banging away at the door. We all laugh about it now, but she was really mad I even had the option to lock myself in. She wouldn't speak to Daddy for three days.

"Must have been a long three days for your dad," Eddie snorted.

"And your mom," Charlotte added, "She probably bought out every flower store in Manhattan. The flower fairy threw up at my parents' penthouse. It was ridiculous. As a little girl, I loved it. It was my own personal play land."

"Did the flowers work?" Eddie asked.

"No, it was when Dad graduated to jewelry she caved," Charlotte laughed.

"When do the tours start?" he glanced around when they first stepped inside.

"You think you're being funny, but they used to give tours of this place," Charlotte handed her luggage to the caretaker who quickly made her presence known, "It was way before my parents owned it, but Grandma Lily talks about when she took a tour here as a young girl."

"Your life is…"

"Awesome," Charlotte offered when he fumbled for an appropriate description, "Come on, I'll show you around. Janette, Mister Fraser will be staying in the Dior Suite."

"Of course, Ms. Bass," the caretaker, Janette, nodded, "I'll make sure the room is prepared. Will you be dining here or in town?"

"Here tonight," Charlotte glanced towards Eddie, who was apparently making himself a bit dizzy as he glanced at the lavish surroundings.

"I'll let the chef know," Janette disappeared.

"Ready for your tour?" Charlotte linked her arm with his.

"The Dior Suite?" he asked.

"Mom named all the guest rooms after famous fashion brands of the past," Charlotte explained, "The Dior Suite happens to be the closest to my room."

"You mean you don't have a suite of your own?" Eddie gasped in mock horror. "You were so deprived."

"Keep it up, Buddy," Charlotte poked him in the ribs, "I'll make you sleep out on the beach tonight."

"How about that tour?" he cleared his throat.

Charlotte showed him the ins and outs of the home, even the tower she'd once locked herself in.

"Who needs the beach," Eddie laughed, "You could entertain yourself in this home for weeks."

"Hopefully I won't need to," she frowned.

"You going to wait out the entire investigation here?" he asked.

"Maybe," she shrugged, "Still trying to figure out my plan of action, and there is only so much shopping a girl can do before she gets bored. How about a walk on the beach?"

"It's a bit chilly out," he reminded her.

"I'll wear a sweater," she smiled.

"Lead the way," he extended his hand to her.

"An expression which will be exceedingly useful to you this weekend," she smiled.

After donning warmer clothes, they set out for the beach. With the shorter days, the sun hung low in the sky. They walked along the beach for a while hand in hand, just enjoying the sights and sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. They returned to the shoreline in front of the family estate when the sun began to set.

Eddie sat himself on the beach and pulled Charlotte into his lap, his arms around her to keep the chill away.

"Thanks for coming with me," Charlotte spoke softly, "I'd just be mopping around the estate if you weren't here."

"It's my pleasure," he kissed the patch of skin exposed on her neck.

"I'm facing potential ruin at work, yet this feels like one of the most special times of my life," she grasped his hands and made a production of entwining each of their fingers together, "Am I making too much of this thing between us?"

"No," he shook his head slightly, "I feel it too."

"Feel what?" she turned towards him slightly.

"Like I'm finding the missing pieces of me," Eddie caressed her cheek tenderly, "The piece I didn't even know I was missing. This shouldn't make any sense. I've known you for most of my life, but I'm only now realizing how well we fit…When I heard yesterday about what you were being accused of, it felt like a knife stabbing me in the heart. It felt like it was happening to me. Even if you had done what they accused you of, I would have fallen on the sword for you. If it comes to…"

"Don't you dare," she pressed her fingers to his lips, "You're not sacrificing your career for me. We'll deal with what happens when the decision is made. Right now I want to focus on you and me and this amazing sunset."

"Deal," he kissed her fingers and returned his gaze to the falling sun and the plethora of colors it brought with it. When the last of the rays illuminated Charlotte's face, reality Eddie like a ton of bricks. He was in love with her.

When the sun's disappearing act was complete, Charlotte rose to her feet and offered him a hand up. Rather than accept her help, he tugged her back to him. She landed on him with a shriek. He began tickling her relentlessly, drawing out laughter which sounded like church bells to his soul. Somehow she ended up on her back with him above her, her arms pinned at her sides. A rush of affection ran through him. His lips descended upon hers.

"We'd better get dressed for dinner," Charlotte caressed the contours of his face, cast in shadows by the exhausting light.

"Is dinner a formal affair in the Hamptons?" he teased.

"No, but I don't feel like eating the sand on our clothes," she replied.

Eddie nodded and helped her to her feet. They took a few moments to brush the sand away before making their way inside. They separated reluctantly to dress for dinner.

Dinner was quiet. The pair seemed lost in their own thoughts.

After dinner, Charlotte pulled him towards the fireplace already roaring thanks to the efficient staff in residence. They curled up together, with Eddie tucked in behind her, his arm possessively around her waist.

"You were quiet at dinner," Charlotte played with the fingers of his left hand.

"I have some things on my mind," he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Anything you want to share?" she asked.

"I've been thinking about what's happening between us," he replied, "Is this even something you're looking for right now? You've just finished college. You're starting your career. Is a serious relationship something you even want?"

"I told you I'm not a fling kinda girl," she reminded him.

"Charlotte, I could easily let myself get extremely serious about you," he admitted, "Before I go down that road, I need to know if it's something you're even interested in."

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't," she stated, "I'm not going to lie. A serious relationship is the last thing I expected right now, but it doesn't mean I wasn't open for it. These things can creep up on a person. They certainly did for my parents. I didn't think I'd ever find something even close to what they have, but when we're together, when I'm in your arms, when you're kissing me, I'm thinking for the first time maybe I can."

"Do you believe in soul mates?" Eddie asked.

"I believe in the possibility of soul mates," she replied, "I also believe not finding your soul mate doesn't mean you can't be happy. Believing that doesn't mean I was ready to stop looking yet."

"And now?" he asked.

"I'm think I might need to stop looking because I found him when I was too young to remember first meeting him," she smiled.

"My mom has this picture of the two of us," Eddie stated, "You are in your christening gown. Justin wanted nothing to do with you, thought you probably had cooties or something. My mom was holding you and gushing over you. I was curious as to what the fuss was about. I remember looking at you and thinking for a baby you were kinda cute. Then Mom suggested I hold you, and I did. I'd never held a baby before. Mom helped me get comfortable with you and then stepped back to take a picture. I remember thinking how protective I felt of you.

"The feeling never went away. Justin always wanted to chase you off when you wanted to tag along. I never let him, even though he was older and bigger than me and probably would beat me up when we got home.

"As we got older, I would always ask Mom what you were up to. I tried to convince myself it was only curiosity and an innocent older brother type of question, but I never asked about Brice or Aiden, never once. Naturally when I asked about you, Mom would fill me in on their activities, but I don't remember them the way I do yours.

"If this is too fast for you, Charlotte. Tell me now. Tell me before I completely lose myself in this."

"I think we're already there, Eddie," she caressed his face, a gentle smile gracing hers, "I think we're already lost in this. Whatever this is between us, I'm ready because I don't want to give it up."

"We're crazy, right?"

"Certifiable," she laughed, "I have one request though."

"Just one?" he asked.

"We go slow," she replied. "I know it's a crazy request to make when we're up here, and we're all alone."

"For you, I can go slow," he kissed her temple, "And it's not a crazy request. It's an honest one. I love that you feel comfortable enough with me to make such a request."

"When do we tell our families?" Charlotte asked. "I mean my mom and dad already know, and so does your mom, probably your dad too, but eventually we'll have to tell my brothers and your brother, and then Grandma Lily and Aunt Serena and Uncle Nate and…"

"Christmas," Eddie stopped her from rambling before she could list every member of her extended family, "We'll tell everyone at Christmas."

"That's less than two months away," Charlotte pointed out, "God, what are we going to do about Thanksgiving?"

"Justin and Abigail will be home. Mom will probably want a quiet dinner at their place as sort of a welcome home," Eddie stated.

"Oh," Charlotte frowned.

"It's not like I don't want you there," Eddie quickly realized his mistake.

"It just wouldn't be the quiet dinner your mom wants," Charlotte stated, "No, it's okay. We're probably having dinner with the entire dysfunctional Bass/van der Woodsen/Waldorf clan anyways at my parents' place. It's fine."

"Char…" he tried to smooth things over.

"No, really, it's fine," Charlotte replied.

"Hey," he turned her chin so she was looking at him, "I would love nothing more than to spend every holiday with you, but if we're waiting until Christmas to officially announce our relationship, we're going to have to spend Thanksgiving apart."

"Yeah," she nodded reluctantly.

"We could have our own dinner together later that night," he suggested, "Leftovers are half the fun of Thanksgiving."

"I've never had a leftover," Charlotte admitted.

"What!" he gasped.

"I think the leftover holiday food was always donated somewhere," Charlotte replied.

"Then you're long overdue," he responded, "How about we have the dinners with our families separately, and then we meet at your place with leftovers."

"What would we do with these leftovers?" Charlotte asked, "Daniella has holidays off, and I have no clue how to cook anything. I did not have the culinary interest Aiden did. The most I've ever done in the kitchen was decorate sugar cookies with Dorota, and I remember making a really big mess when Brice and I got into a flour fight. Dorota was not happy with us."

"I imagine not," he chuckled, "Flour is a pain to clean. Don't worry about the cooking. I'll take care of that for us."

"You can cook?" she asked.

"We didn't all grow up with a housekeeper and chef on speed dial," he reminded her, "I've been known to get my hands a bit dirty in the kitchen. Besides leftovers aren't exactly cooking. It's more like reheating."

"No matter what it is, I'd better stay away from it, or I'd likely burn down the building," Charlotte replied.

"We'll make sure to have a fire extinguisher handy," he laughed.

"You have yourself a deal," she smiled.

"How about a few hints on holiday gifts?" he requested.

"We need to shop for each other," Charlotte suddenly realized, "Oh, I'm not good with gift exchanges. Ask Aiden and Brice, I'm really bad at it."

"I can always use some new ties for the office," he chuckled.

"You can't go wrong with jewelry," Charlotte offered up her own suggestion, "It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. I know your pockets aren't nearly as deep as mine."

"That almost sounds like an insult, Bass," he teased.

"It's not," she shrieked, thinking she'd offended him until she caught the twinkle in his eyes. When she realized he was joking she settled back into his embrace.

"And I'll have you know, my pockets are deeper than you think," he replied, "Your father pays me well. All my expenses while living abroad were covered by the company, and I'm by no means living extravagantly now. I'm staying with my parents for crying out loud."

"You are?" she turned towards him suddenly.

"You didn't know?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head, "I guess I just assumed you had your own place…Why don't you have your own place?"

"Do you know how much decent places cost in Manhattan?" he replied.

"Honestly no clue," she shrugged, "I couldn't tell you what my dad paid for my place or how much all the renovations cost him."

"Such a princess, you are," he teased her again.

"Stop it," she scowled at him, "Yes, I'm spoiled, but I'm not spoiled rotten. I know how lucky I am. I could easily have given in to society and just married some rich Wall Street goon, and then spent my days shopping up and down Fifth Avenue. Instead I chose to have a career…we'll see how long that lasts."

"You're going to be back at Bass sooner than you think," Eddie tried to reassure her.

"My point is, I could never be happy with that 'traditional' Upper East Side life," Charlotte stated, "Aunt Serena has that life, and I think it's boring."

"You think your aunt is boring?" he asked.

"I love Serena. She's been always been there for my mom, and mostly for me too, but she's never really had much direction. She's flitted from one relationship to the next. Her goal in life always seems to be how to get a headline on Page Six, and she's very good at it," Charlotte replied. "When I was pretty young, she went to rehab for the first time. It was the first time I realized not all the adults in my life had their lives put together. When she came home, she was different. I honestly don't know if she ever really recovered from it all. She'd take these long trips to exotic locations and come back engaged. She walked down the aisle a couple of times, and I either the flower girl or a junior bridesmaid. Eventually she stopped getting married and just kept getting engaged. She probably has enough diamonds for her own crown by now."

"Do as I say, not as I do," he quoted the famous expression.

"Something like that," she nodded, "As much as I love her, she's never been anything like a role model for me."

"Who is your role model?" he asked.

"My mom," Charlotte smiled, "She has it all. She has the great marriage, a career she loves, and she somehow managed to have a healthy relationship with her children in an environment where nannies are the norm…what about you? Who was your role model?"

"You're going to laugh," Eddie replied.

"Why? Is it someone super embarrassing?" she teased.

"It's your dad," he stated, "The way I've always known him, he could do no wrong. I told my mom when I was seven or eight that I wanted to be just like Chuck Bass."

"You know Chuck Bass was once a curse in New York City," Charlotte pointed out.

"Didn't find that out until much later," Eddie stated, "Oddly learning some things from his…colorful past helped. I targeted in on being the businessman like him, not the ladies' man."

"Come on," she nudged him with her shoulder, "You had some flings in London."

"Are we to the point where we discuss our relationship histories?" he asked.

"Yes," she bobbed her head eagerly, "So spill."

"Well, you know about Heather. She's probably the most serious relationship I ever had. We met senior year of college. I met her at a frat party. She'd had too much to drink, and I made sure she got home safely. Apparently gentlemen are a dying breed because for the next couple of weeks, she would call or stop by to thank me and bring me things. I'm not going to lie. I was flattered, and she was easy enough on the eyes."

"You dated her for several years, so clearly there was more going on than just her being easy on the eyes," Charlotte glared at him.

"It was always more serious for her than me. When she started talking about moving to London so we could start planning for our future, I had to take a hard look at our relationship. She wasn't the woman I wanted to spend my life with, so we ended things."

"Do you miss her?" Charlotte asked.

"Not really," he shook his head, "After Heather, I dated, and yes, I had a few women I dated more than once, but they were never as serious as Heather because I knew I was coming back to New York. I didn't want to get into another complicated relationship where another woman would have to give up their life and move across an ocean for me…Your turn."

"Well, there was Devon," Charlotte replied, "And Evan, he was my first serious boyfriend. Evan and I dated on and off through most of my time at Constance. There was a time where I was convinced he was going to be it for me. His grew up in a similar manner to my father. His mother was a disaster. She floated in and out of his life. The first time we dated, she ended up overdosing. Thankfully she pulled through, but she needed a lot of therapy and never fully recovered. I wanted to be there for him as much as I could, but I realized he wasn't going to have the time for me, so we broke up. A few months later, we got back together. Then we broke up. The pattern kept repeating. The one common thread though was I was most attracted to him when the rest of his life was falling apart. I guess I was trying to turn our relationship into one like my parents had. Evan's a good guy, but he's not my dad. It wasn't fair to him to keep the pattern going. We still converse back and forth, but he's super busy with law school now."

"Anyone else?" he asked.

"Well, there was a guy between Evan and Devon, but he was more of a rebound guy. He wasn't anyone really worth mentioning," Charlotte replied, "He was into me more for the bank account potential than because he had any true feelings for me. I saw right through that."

"So three guys?" he asked.

"Well four now," she smiled, "Four is a good number I think. Mom only had four, well five, sort of."

"Five, sort of?" he repeated in confusion.

"You know about my uncle, Nate. She also dated this Lord guy from London, some creepy guy who was in love with his stepmother or some such nonsense," Charlotte explained, "It's not exactly a highlight for my mom, and then she had a very brief fling with my dad's uncle, Jack, before she hooked back up with my uncle, Nate."

"Your mom dated Jack Bass, that lowlife who's in jail?" Eddie asked.

"I wouldn't call it dating," Charlotte replied, "It's complicated. It was certainly a low point for her. Maybe one day I'll tell you all the details, but it doesn't need to be revisited today. There was also this guy named Carter, but again it was a fling, nothing serious."

"Okay," he nodded, "So four guys."

"Yes, four guys," she laughed, "Is that not enough?"

"I forget sometimes that you're a few years younger than me," he responded.

"Does that bother you?" she asked.

"Does it bother you?" he countered, "Char, I'm nearly thirty."

"I'm twenty-three," she responded, "So what if we have seven years between us. Lots of people get married all the time with significant age differences. It can still work."

"You're talking about a very adult decision," Eddie responded, "There is an entire world out there for you to discover."

"Couldn't I discover it with you?" she laid her head against his shoulder.

"I would love to discovery it with you," he caressed her shoulder, "I just wouldn't want you to settle."

"Are we moving too fast?" Charlotte asked.

"Doesn't feel like it to me," he smiled.

"Me either."

"It's getting late," he kissed her temple, "How about we turn in and discuss our future tomorrow?"

"Yeah," she rose to her feet and turned to offer him a hand up.

Once he rose to his full height, he ascended on her lips, devouring her. Charlotte released a yelp of surprise but quickly reciprocated. They pulled away breathlessly. Eddie was the gentleman when he walked her to her bedroom door.

"Good night, Charlotte," he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

"Good night, Eddie," she replied.

* * *

Charlotte tossed and turned in her bed for quite awhile. She glanced at the clock. Her brother would just be starting his day. She chanced a call.

"Char, it's got to be two in the morning," Brice answered on the second ring, "Is everything alright?"

"I couldn't sleep," Charlotte replied, "I needed someone to talk to, and I knew you'd be up. Is this a bad time?"

"No, it's fine. I was just taking Barty for a walk through the vineyard. Mom said you flew out to the Hamptons to get away from everything for a bit," Brice replied, "Too quiet for you?"

"Something like that," Charlotte sighed, "How's Colette?"

"As amazing as always," Charlotte could practically see the smile as he gushed about his girlfriend.

"When's the wedding?" Charlotte teased.

"I'm not biting, Char," Brice laughed. Though it was inevitable that he'd marry his girlfriend of four years, neither of them were in a hurry to make their engagement official. They were both still finishing up school, and then they had to make some major decisions about where they wanted to settle down. "How about we talk about your love life…is there even one to talk about?"

"Ouch," Charlotte replied, "Trying for a below the belt strike. I'll have you know I am seeing someone, and if you come home for Christmas, you'll even meet him."

"Is this some sort of trick to get me and Colette to visit for the holidays?" Brice asked, "Did Mom put you up to this?"

"She really wants you to come home, but no, this isn't a trick. I really am seeing someone, and it's getting kind of serious," she admitted.

"How did you even have the time to meet anyone? Dad says you've been working sixty hours a week since you started at B.I.," her brother challenged her.

"It's kinda complicated," Charlotte hesitated, "Come home for Christmas, and I'll explain."

"Colette and I are already making plans," Brice admitted, "Think you could handle two houseguests and a dog for Christmas. I don't think Colette would feel comfortable staying with Mom and Dad."

"If it means seeing Barty again, I'm all in," Charlotte responded eagerly, "I'll make sure Daniella has a room made up for you."

"Char, seriously, are you okay?" Brice asked, hearing something in her voice.

"Not really," she admitted, "At least not about what happened at work. Brice, I didn't do anything wrong."

"I know you wouldn't, Charlotte. It's not in you to do what you're being accused of," Brice assured her.

"Dad's really mad. I'm afraid his anger at the situation might make things worse," Charlotte admitted, "He wants to fire the person or people who made the allegations, and I know it's going to end up in litigation if he does. That's press Bass doesn't want especially when the layoff notices go out regarding the acquisition."

"Hacking up another company, huh," Brice concluded.

"It was being horribly mismanaged," Charlotte replied, "I think we were being generous with our cuts. I could have easily cut seventy-five percent of the workforce I reviewed, but Dad said fifty, so I stuck with fifty."

"Do you like the work, Char?" Brice asked.

"I really do," Charlotte confirmed, "I think I was even doing a good job."

"Do you see yourself at Bass for the next thirty to forty years of your life?" he pressed.

"I've told you before how much I wanted to work at Bass, work with Daddy, and I had hoped you. You chose a different career path, and that's okay, but Bass is in our blood, Brice," Charlotte replied.

"Whether it is in our blood or not, if it will not make you happy, Dad would want you to find what does," Brice countered.

"I have a lot to learn, but that's part of the challenge," Charlotte stated.

"I just want to make sure my big sister is happy," he replied, "So this guy…"

"Come for Christmas and I'll tell all," Charlotte shut down his questions.

"He'd better treat you right," Brice responded, "I'm not above hopping on a plane to teach the guy a lesson if he doesn't."

"Same goes for you, Buddy," Charlotte countered, "If I hear from Colette you're being a butthead, I'm on a plane to straighten you out."

"A butthead," Brice hooted with laughter, "You've never called me a butthead…ever."

"There's a first time for everything," Charlotte snickered.

"If you need to talk, call me day or night. I don't care about the time," Brice responded.

"Thanks, Little Brother," Charlotte felt herself smiling.

"I love you, Char," he offered.

"Love you too, Butthead," she laughed.

They disconnected the call, and Charlotte returned her phone to her nightstand. After another half hour of tossing and turning, she ventured into the hallway.

The door to the guest bedroom Eddie was sleeping in creaked when she opened it. The noise startled him awake. "Char, are you alright?" he sat upright upon recognizing her in the doorway.

"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, "I didn't mean to wake you. I'll leave."

"Come here," Eddie held out his hand to her. He slid over and made room for her on the bed. "Want to talk some more?"

"No," she shook her head slightly, "What I want to do is sleep, but it's just not happening. Do you think I could stay here with you for a little while…at least until I feel tired?"

"You're more than welcome," he reclined back. Charlotte tucked herself in next to him, her head cradled against his shoulder. She could hear his heart beating.

"When I was little and couldn't sleep, I would gather up all my stuffed animals and put them around my bed. I was convinced they would protect me from whatever monsters were under there, and it always did the trick. Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days. Life was so much simpler then," she admitted.

"I'm probably not as sufficient as an army of stuffed animals, but I'll protect you, Charlotte," he offered.

"I know," Charlotte smiled.

"Try to get some sleep," he suggested.

Charlotte nodded. The rhythmic beating of his heart eventually lulled her to sleep.

Eddie watched her for quite awhile. He could make out her features in the moonlight streaming through the window. There were moments when he couldn't believe the beautiful woman in his arms was the same little girl he grew up around. In other moments, he couldn't believe it had taken him this long to see how truly beautiful she'd always been.

 **TBC…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **Hopefully this chapter is more to your liking than the last, considering the previous one got zero reviews.**

 **Enjoy.**

"Good morning, Sleepyhead," Charlotte greeted Eddie. It was nearly noon. He'd fallen asleep just before the sun rose. Sleep refused to come after realizing the level of his feelings for her. She was reading on the bench near the picture window overlooking the ocean in the library when he found her. It was one of her favorite spots in the entire residence.

"Morning," he bent in to kiss her lips softly, "Sorry for nearly sleeping the day away."

"It's okay," she assured him, "First nights in new places usually throw me off too. I was hoping you'd wake in time to grab some lunch in town. I had the driver pull the car around. We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Why are we using a driver?" he parked himself next to her and brought an arm around her shoulder to turn the book so he could see what she was reading. It was one of Jane Austen's classic works. From the condition of the book, it appeared it was read often.

"They frown upon unlicensed drivers tooling around town, even in the Hamptons," she laughed.

"If you don't think your father would mind, I'm more than capable of driving us," he told her.

"You have a driver's license?" she asked, "Why?"

"Why does anyone get a driver's license?" he chuckled, "To lawfully operate a motor vehicle."

"But you grew up in New York like me," she pointed out, "What is the point? You can taxi or ride the subway anywhere you want to go."

"My father called it a right of passage," Eddie explained, "He drove both me and Justin to his parents' place just outside Boston and then handed us the keys. Justin had a bit less time to practice before he was eligible to take his test. I passed my test with flying colors."

"Is your license even valid?" she asked.

"Updated it as soon as I moved back from London," he nodded.

"Then I'll give Driver the day off," Charlotte smiled, "Do you want to take the town car or one of the other vehicles?"

"Depends on the options," Eddie responded, "I didn't know your father had a car collection."

"They're mostly Uncle Nate's," Charlotte shrugged, "Dad lets him keep them here. As a trade off, he allows us to use them whenever we want. None of us can drive, but Driver gets quite a kick out of them."

"I think I need to see these options," Eddie looked to her with intrigue.

Charlotte led him to the garage where the plethora of cars were kept. Eddie's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"These are all your uncle's?" Eddie ran his hand along one of the frames.

"A couple are Daddy's," Charlotte replied, "I think the Aston Martin in the back was Grandpa Bart's. Dad calls it the James Bond car. Driver likes that one a lot."

"It's like every car guy's fantasy come to life," Eddie moved from one vehicle to another to inspect the craftsmanship. "All the top end brands, all the exotics, all the expensive ones."

"You've met my dad, right?" Charlotte laughed, "He's kinda got a lot of money. When he buys something, he's usually not looking at price tags."

"He has cycles too?" Eddie caught sight of a segmented off area.

"Those are definitely Daddy's," Charlotte replied, "Midlife crisis kinda thing. Mom got mad when he bought his first one. She said one scar on his body was plenty, but he and Nate will take them up to Vermont in the fall. He's even gotten Mom on one a few times. She gets it more now. They'll ride around town together, kinda incognito. It goes against everything prim and proper my mom stands for. It's really funny to see her in all the motorcycle gear."

"I would pay a lot of money to see your mom on one of these crotch rockets your dad has," Eddie laughed, "Has he ever taken you for a ride?"

"God, no," Charlotte gasped, "I wouldn't be caught dead on one of these things."

"I bet you'd like it," he advanced towards her with a teasing smile, "Have you ever even sat on one?"

"Nope and never plan to," Charlotte shook her head.

Eddie climbed on the nearest cycle and patted the space behind him.

"Never going to happen," Charlotte snorted, "You'd better pick something with four wheels."

"How about the Maserati?" he nodded towards the silver car close to where she stood.

"I'll get Driver to pull it around front," Charlotte replied, "Come on, Evil Kneivel, let's get ready to go."

* * *

"Ms. Bass," Charlotte was greeted by one of the servers at the café she chose for lunch, "I didn't expect to see you until next spring."

"Hi, Chloe," Charlotte smiled, "I couldn't stay away from the croissant sandwich for a moment longer."

"I don't blame you," Chloe laughed before motioning towards Eddie, "Who's the friend?"

"Chloe, this is Eddie, my…friend," Charlotte stammered over what to call Eddie. "Eddie, this is Chloe. She and I used to play on the beach together in the summer. Her family owns this café."

"It's good to meet you, Eddie," Chloe extended her hand.

Eddie nodded in agreement.

"I'll give you a few minutes to peruse the menu. I'll be back," Chloe winked towards Charlotte and then mouthed, "He's really cute."

Charlotte giggled but tried to hide it behind a menu.

"Come here often?" Eddie asked.

"Just about every weekend in the summer since I can remember and probably before," Charlotte nodded, "This is Mom's favorite café in the Hamptons, so naturally Dad insisted we come here as often as she wanted."

"Sounds about right," Eddie responded, "He certainly knows how to spoil her."

"He's well compensated for it," Charlotte laughed and then took in the nearly empty restaurant, "I have to say, I'm enjoying the quietness around town. In the summer, this café is swimming with people. It's nearly impossible to get a table. Obviously Daddy always calls ahead to make sure we get priority seating."

"Naturally," Eddie agreed.

Chloe came back to inquire if they were ready to order, after setting down two flavored lemonades, a specialty of the café. Eddie chose the first option on the menu he read and hoped for the best.

"So you cycle," Charlotte picked up on the conversation they'd been having earlier.

"Just don't tell my mother," Eddie winked at her.

"Isn't it dangerous?" she bit her lip nervously.

"It's part of the fun," Eddie replied, "It's just you, two wheels and an engine. There's something very powerful about it. I think you'd like it if you have it a try."

"Not going to happen," Charlotte shook her head, "I'd fall right off."

"I'd never let that happen," he winked at her.

"I bet it was something you and your brother used to do," Charlotte replied.

"Still do," Eddie replied, "We haven't been in awhile, but I'm hoping before their baby arrives to take him on a guys weekend somewhere."

"Your brother and his wife should be back in the states soon," Charlotte stated.

"Next week," Eddie nodded.

"I'm guessing I'll need to share you a bit," she frowned slightly.

"I'll still make time for you," he reached for her hand.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do with my week," she admitted, "My friends are all working. Mom and Dad are busy running their companies. Aiden has school. Brice is in France."

"You'll figure out something," he replied, "You used to have dozens of interests."

"I haven't been riding in quite awhile," Charlotte conceded, "Not since my horse, Licorice, was retired. Daddy offered to buy me a new horse, but I just couldn't replace Licorice. He was the best horse."

"Just because you no longer own a horse doesn't mean you can't ride one," he offered.

"So we've taken care of one day," Charlotte replied, "I've got four more to go. HR said it would be unlikely the case would be resolved within a week."

"How about a spa day?" he suggested.

"Two down," Charlotte nodded, "Honestly how do all these trophy wives fill their days?"

"Shopping and pseudo volunteer work," he sipped at his drink.

"Volunteer work," Charlotte perked up, "Your mom's always working on the next Bass Charity fundraiser. Maybe I could help out in a non-Bass Industries employee kinda way."

"Do you want me to get in contact with my mom?" he asked.

"Maybe later," she replied.

After a scrumptious lunch, Charlotte and Eddie meandered through some of the shops. Charlotte bought a few trinkets for her family, getting an early start to her Christmas shopping. With a male's opinion, she thought maybe she'd actually come across a few good gifts for her brothers for a change.

"It's getting chilly," Charlotte pulled up the collar on her coat to protect her from the cold air.

"Feels like snow," Eddie offered her his arm. They walked along the streets back to the Maserati. They passed a dog park along the way. Charlotte became distracted from their conversation. Her eyes glanced towards several of the dogs barking and playing.

"I miss having a dog," Charlotte announced abruptly, "Technically Barty wasn't mine, but I still miss him. It was always good coming home from a particularly hard day at school to have him there waiting, his tail wagging. He was always happy to see me."

"We never had a dog," Eddie replied, "Justin is allergic."

"That's so sad. Every kid should have a dog," Charlotte stated, "I often flirt with the idea of getting myself a new dog, not something as big as Barty though. I'd want something a little smaller, a little more portable."

"You want a fluffy dog, don't you," he teased.

"Yes," she nodded, "It's such a girl thing to say, but yes, I do."

"Maybe you should ask Santa to bring you one for Christmas," he suggested.

"Maybe I will," she smiled.

* * *

After a second night spent in front of the fire, the pair decided to retire for the evening.

"Am I going to be receiving a bedmate again tonight?" Eddie asked upon walking her to her door.

"That depends," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "My bed is more comfortable than the one in the guest room. I was hoping maybe you'd join me."

"All you have to do is ask," he leaned in for a kiss.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" she felt herself blushing, "Just to sleep. I think I'll sleep better with you next to me."

"I'll change and be right back," he winked and then walked down the corridor to his suite to change.

Charlotte was already in bed when Eddie returned.

"This is quite an upgrade to my accommodations," Eddie took in the lush surroundings of her bedroom. While she called it her room, it was more of a suite than his own down the hall.

"This is my summer home," she replied, "We used to spend lots of time here. Naturally Daddy wanted us to be comfortable. You should have seen it when I was younger. It was princess themed, complete with a castle mural."

"Hence you locking yourself in your tower," he chuckled when she patted the space next to her.

"I was acting the part," Charlotte pulled back the covers to invite him to join her.

Eddie climbed in beside her. Charlotte didn't waste a moment in curling herself into him.

"I'm afraid I might get used to this," Eddie ran his fingers along her bare shoulder.

"Get used to what?" she asked.

"Us sleeping in the same bed," he nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Considering my life might be over if your father finds out…"

"You let me take care of my father," Charlotte replied, "He wants me to be happy. When he has a chance to see just how happy you make me, he'll be okay with us."

"He talked to me a few days ago," Eddie admitted.

"Oh?" she raised a curious brow, "You're still walking upright. That's a good sign."

"Dare I say he approves?" Eddie lifted a curious brow.

"I think approve is a bit strong," Charlotte chuckled, "I think you can safely say he's accepting, but I think you still have a bit of work to earn his approval. Do you think you're up to the task?"

"For you, I think I am," he grasped her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Good night, Eddie."

"Good night, Charlotte."

* * *

"I wish you could stay," Charlotte had her arms wrapped around Eddie's neck as they stood at the helipad. The Bass helicopter was waiting patiently for their one passenger. They'd spent another day together just walking around town, getting lunch again at Charlotte's favorite restaurant and then doing a bit more shopping.

Eddie put off leaving as long as possible, but he had to get back to the city and back to Bass.

"I do too," Eddie caressed her cheek, "Why don't you come back with me?"

"I'm going to the stables tomorrow," Charlotte replied, "It's been awhile since I've checked in with Licorice. He probably thinks I've forgotten all about him, and it will be good to see my old riding coach. She moved her entire business out here a few years ago. I'd like to see her…I might make my way back to the city tomorrow night."

"If you do, I'll make you dinner," he tempted her.

"At your parent's place?" she raised a curious brow.

"Or perhaps yours," he smiled, "I'm sure you have a chef's kitchen just going to waste."

"It's certainly wasted on me," Charlotte snickered, "I don't know if my chef will appreciate you using his kitchen. He's quite particular about how he has everything set up."

"I think I can smooth things over with Aiden," Eddie laughed.

"You have yourself a deal," Charlotte rose up on her toes to press her lips to his.

"If you need anything, call me," his eyes locked with hers.

"Even if it's just to hear your voice?" she asked and then she felt the heat flush her cheeks at her words, "God, that sounded so lame.

"Even then," he nodded, "And it's not lame."

"We're so far down the rabbit hole already, aren't we," Charlotte smiled.

"Oh yeah," he agreed.

"Text me when you get to Bass, so I know you got there safe and sound," Charlotte requested.

"I will," he agreed before pressing his lips to hers for one more kiss. "I'll see you soon."

Charlotte stood a safe distance from the helicopter and watched it take off. Eddie was well on his way back to the city before she returned to the residence.

"Janette, has Mister Fraser's room been cleaned yet?" Charlotte asked when she entered the foyer.

"Not yet, Ms. Bass," Janette replied, "Did Mister Fraser forget something?"

"It's just a scarf," Charlotte shrugged, "I'll retrieve it and put it in my bag. He told me exactly where he left it."

Janette nodded, "Would you like to have dinner in the dining room this evening?"

"I'm not very hungry," Charlotte replied, "Eddie and I had a late lunch. Will you have the chef send some cheese, crackers and fruit to my room? That should hold me over until breakfast tomorrow."

"Of course, Ms. Bass," Janette nodded and watched as Charlotte disappeared up the staircase.

Charlotte felt silly when she entered the suite Eddie had used during his brief stay. He hadn't forgotten anything, but she thought maybe she'd be able to get some sleep if she could snatch up one of the pillows he'd used. As she lifted it to her nose, she was instantly assaulted by his scent.

"God, I'm like a love sick puppy," Charlotte muttered to herself as she took the pillow into her room and set it on her bed. Her snack arrived a few minutes later. After receiving the text from Eddie that he'd landed safely and was on his way back to his parents' place, she found her place in her favorite Jane Austen novel and read until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Then she curled up with Eddie's pillow and did her best to imagine he was laying beside her.

 **TBC…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Charlotte found her old riding gear tucked away in her treasure chest. She had the manor staff freshen it up while she ate breakfast and then set out for the stables.

"Hey, Handsome," Charlotte approached her horse's stall with several apples in her hands, "How have you been, Boy?"

Licorice approached her immediately, like she was a long lost friend he was quite happy to see. The apples probably helped. Her horse had always had a bit of a sweet tooth.

"Are they treating you okay?" Charlotte stroked his nose once the apples had been consumed. She grabbed a brush and brushed out his mane like she'd done so many times before.

"He's the gentleman of the stables," Charlotte's old riding coach, Sophie, approached her from behind. "He's quite popular with the mares."

"Hi, Sophie," Charlotte immediately was engulfed in her former trainer's arms.

"I heard you booked some time for a ride today, so I cleared my schedule," Sophie hugged her former student tight.

"You didn't have to do that," Charlotte pulled away.

"For my favorite student, of course I did," Sophie replied.

"Has he been behaving?" Charlotte turned to give her horse some much needed attention.

"Oh yeah," Sophie nodded, "He's one of the better behaved horses in the stables. Your father is making a fortune in stud fees."

"Yes, because he absolutely needs the money," Charlotte laughed.

"It certainly covers Licorce's boarding fees," Sophie stated, "And then some."

"Of course he's popular with the female persuasion," Charlotte rose up to kiss Licorce's nose, "He's a Bass."

"So what brings you to the stables today?" Sophie asked, "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you because I am."

"Problems at work," Charlotte admitted, "A coworker accused me of bullying, which I absolutely did not do."

"I never would have thought you capable," Sophie hugged her around the shoulders, "Charlotte Bass is incapable of such things."

"I've been put on leave until the investigate is complete," Charlotte replied, "I needed something to do, so a friend suggested riding. I didn't realize until he suggested it, but I do miss it."

"And I miss coaching you," Sophie smiled, "I still stand by my assessment, you would have done great things if you entered the competition circuit. World championships, Olympics…the sky was the limit for you and Licorce, but I know why you didn't. There would have had to be a lot of sacrifices on your part."

"I know I made the right choice," Charlotte replied, "Despite the whole suspension thing."

"So this friend who suggested a ride," Sophie prodded her one time charge, "Is he cute?"

"Gorgeous," Charlotte pulled out her phone to show a picture she'd snapped of the two of them the previous day.

"He's handsome alright," Sophie fanned herself a few times. "How's the rest of your family? Aiden, Brice?"

"Aiden graduated high school this spring and is currently enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America. I think he's teaching his teachers a thing or two about the culinary profession," Charlotte began.

"Aiden graduated high school," Sophie gasped, "Goodness, I can still remember him running around here when he was what, two, three?"

"He's quite the head turner himself," Charlotte looked through her phone to find a recent picture of her brother, "We're still trying to figure out where he got his height. He's a good five inches taller than Dad and Brice, and those dark eyes cause many women to swoon. He's had a bevy of beauties following him around for years. He doesn't have near the reputation as my father did at his age, but it's not for the lack of options."

Sophie looked at the picture Charlotte produced of her younger brother. "And Brice?"

"Brice is living with my grandfathers in France," Charlotte replied, "He's learning the wine business."

"What about Bass Industries?" Sophie asked, "I thought he'd join you one day."

"Senior year of high school he moved to France to be closer to his girlfriend. Her parents had separated, and she was forced to move to France with her mother. It was this whole drama, but Brice was able to convince my parents to move to France. While living on my grandfathers' vineyard, he fell in love with the business of it all. He's in his final year of school, and then he'll decide if he takes over the vineyard from my grandfathers' or start his own. If Mom has her way, he'll be starting his own somewhere closer to Manhattan," Charlotte explained.

"Someplace like the Hamptons," Sophie offered.

"I don't even think the Hamptons would be close enough for my mother's liking," Charlotte laughed, "She hates that he's been living so far away for so long."

"I can imagine," Sophie smiled.

"How about you?" Charlotte asked, "How are your girls? They must be what, ten and seven?"

"Good memory," Sophie pulled out her own phone and produced pictures of her daughters, both sitting atop their horses. "They're keeping us busy. It seems like Elyse is entering a competition every weekend, and Caiti is just about ready to start her own competitive career."

"With you as their coach, I know great things are ahead," Charlotte smiled.

"How about a ride?" Sophie suggested, "I've got two mares saddled and waiting for us."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," Sophie set aside her brush. She stroked her horse's head a few more times. "I'll come back before I leave, Boy."

It was a leisurely stroll through the stable's acreage. Sophie and Charlotte spent their time catching after a few years apart. They fell right back into their usual banter like it had only been a few days apart rather than the few years it actually was.

"Did you want to go through the novice course, for old time sake?" Sophie noticed Charlotte glanced towards the arena set up.

"I don't know," Charlotte hesitated, "It's been awhile."

"Perhaps for you, but Duchess here is a regular," Sophie nodded towards the horse Charlotte was riding.

"Why not," Charlotte guided the horse towards the arena. She galloped around a few times to get a feel for the course before she guided her horse towards the first approach. It was like riding a bike, as Charlotte was up and over in the fence in the blink of an eye.

Sophie kept out of Charlotte's way as she watched her former pupil navigate the course. She watched with a mixture of pride and envy. Charlotte was by far the best student she'd ever coached and far more talented than she'd ever been herself.

With the last jump cleared, Charlotte guided her horse back to Sophie. "How'd I do, Coach?" Charlotte was slightly out of breath.

"Textbook," Sophie smiled.

"She's quite a horse," Charlotte leaned down to rub her horse's neck.

"You're quite a rider," Sophie added.

Charlotte smiled in reply.

After returned to the stable, Charlotte returned to give Licorice more attention. "I promise to visit more often."

After bidding a final goodbye to her horse and former instructor, she climbed into the waiting vehicle. She texted Eugenia to send the helicopter back to the Hamptons and then sent word to the Hamptons staff to prepare for her departure. The promise of a meal with Eddie was far too tempting.

* * *

"How was your weekend in the Hamptons?" Daniella greeted Charlotte upon her return.

"Relaxing," Charlotte replied, "We're having a guest for dinner tonight. Will you make sure the table is set for two?"

"Would you like me to send out for something?" Daniella gathered the belongings Charlotte was handing to her.

"No," Charlotte smiled, "My guest wants to do the cooking."

"No one other than Mister Aiden has ever used your kitchen," Daniella sputtered.

"It deserves a bit of use from someone who actually knows how to use it," Charlotte shed her coat and handed it to her housekeeper. She chanced a quick glance at the clock. She had a bit of time before her guest was due to arrive. "I'm going up to check in with my parents. If Eddie gets here before I come back down, please show him into the kitchen. I shouldn't be too long."

Daniella nodded as Charlotte took the elevator up to her parents' floor.

"Hello, Miss Charlotte," Dorota greeted her when she stepped off the elevator.

"Is Mom or Dad home?" Charlotte asked.

"Your father in his office," Dorota replied, "Mrs. Blair still working."

"Thanks, Dorota," Charlotte gave the family's long time housekeeper a quick hug before she ambled towards her father's office. "Do you have time for some company?"

"For my children, always," Chuck rose from his desk to greet her with a hug, "How was your weekend in the Hamptons?"

"Quiet," Charlotte replied, "Just what I needed. I noticed you took care of the paparazzi outside. How'd you manage that?"

"Word has it you've gone to France," Chuck replied, "It should keep them occupied for a bit. By the time they figure out you're back, the investigation will be concluded, and you'll be exonerated."

"Any word on how it's going?" Charlotte asked.

"Sounds like they should have everything wrapped up by the middle to the end of the week," Chuck replied, "You should know no matter the outcome, I've removed the head of your department from his position. He's been reassigned to a different division in a less pressure position. Apparently he's been struggling in his role for awhile."

"Who will be the new head of my division?" Charlotte inquired.

"Someone I know is more than capable, Octavia Washington," Chuck replied, "She's been running another division for quite awhile and has had great success. She graduated with highest honors from Howard University. She's one of the rising stars of the company, and she's received high marks from several key executives I trust. She'll be a good mentor for you."

"And everyone else?" Charlotte asked.

"There's going to be a complete restructuring of your division," Chuck replied. "HR has identified several problems which have flown under the radar until you joined the division. They are now being addressed. We're still going to wait on HR's report to determine the fate of a few of the employees, but moral should improve greatly when you return."

"I hope so," Charlotte nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me things were as bad as they were?" Chuck's eyes turned soft.

"I wanted to prove I could handle myself," Charlotte's voice broke slightly as she spoke, "I thought what I was going through was just the usual mistrust of the boss's daughter. I didn't know it was more until I spoke with HR."

"Charlotte, you have nothing to prove to me," Chuck told her with sincerity dripping from his voice and eyes, "Yes, you are the future of the company, but you don't need to step in right away and make a name for yourself. I want you to enjoy the work while you learn the company. You will put your stamp on the company one day, and you'll achieve success greater than mine. I have no doubt about that."

"I just really want you to be proud of me," Charlotte wiped at her eyes.

"I've been proud of you every day of your life," Chuck took her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Thanks for saying that, Daddy," Charlotte smiled through the tears.

"I love you, Princess," Chuck replied.

"I love you too," Charlotte hugged him, "I'd better let you get back to your work. When do you think Mom will be home?"

"She had a late meeting with a buyer," Chuck replied, "I wouldn't expect her for at least another hour. Did you want to have dinner with us?"

"Tempting, but I've already made plans," Charlotte glanced at her watch, "I'd better get back to my place."

"How about we meet for lunch tomorrow?" Chuck suggested, "You pick the place, anywhere you choose."

"Anywhere?" Charlotte raised a curious brow.

"Anywhere," Chuck confirmed.

Charlotte immediately rattled off the most expensive place in Manhattan, which also had the reputation for being the hardest restaurant in the city to get a reservation, but she also knew for Chuck Bass, they would accommodate him.

"I'll let Eugenia know," Chuck reached for his phone to send his assistant a message.

"Night, Daddy," Charlotte kissed his cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll text you the time," Chuck replied.

Charlotte returned to her penthouse to find Eddie already orientating himself to her kitchen. "Making yourself at home, I see."

"This is a nice kitchen," Eddie turned to greet her with a kiss.

"Aiden thinks so too," Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him close, "How was your day at the office?"

"Uneventful," Eddie's arms wrapped loosely around her waist, "No more meetings with HR, which I took as a good sign. There's apparently been a pretty big shake up in Mergers and Acquisitions though."

"Yep, that's what Dad said," Charlotte bobbed her head, "Do you know anything about my new boss, Octavia Washington?"

"Quite a bit actually," Eddie released her and turned towards the counter to begin preparations on their meal, "She and I started at Bass around the same time. She's brilliant. She's an excellent leader and motivator, and she won't put up with anyone's crap. She also won't be intimidated by your father. She'll be a good mentor for you. You father is smart for bringing her in."

"Now all I need is for HR to exonerate me, so I can get to work," Charlotte replied.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you heard something within the next day or so," he began chopping up onion to put in the sauté pan.

"What are you making?" Charlotte asked.

"A family favorite," Eddie replied, "Pork burritos."

"Sounds good to me," Charlotte watched him work, "Do you need a hand?"

"Weren't you the one who said you were hopeless in the kitchen?" he raised a curious brow.

"Fair point," she chuckled, "I just feel guilty for sitting here while you do all the work."

"How about you find a good wine to go with our meal," he suggested.

"Something I can do," Charlotte hopped off her stool and went to her wine cooler, "How does a pinot grigio sound?"

"Sound good," he nodded.

Charlotte scanned her options and then pulled the one she thought would work best from the cooler.

"Does Charlotte Bass know her wines?" he inquired.

"My grandfathers own a vineyard," Charlotte reminded him, "My wine education started early in life. I'm not nearly the expert Brice is, but I certainly know a good wine from a bad one. Grandpere has some of the best wine in France."

"But you're not bias," he teased.

"I'm not the only one who thinks it," Charlotte glared at him, "Their vineyard has won several industry awards through the years."

"Does your entire wine collection consist of wines from your grandfather's vineyard?" he inquired.

"Just about," Charlotte nodded, "My grandfather has coached us well. Other vintages just don't taste quite like his."

"So not only are you a daddy's girl, you're a grandpa's girl," Eddie smiled.

"Absolutely," Charlotte beamed with pride.

Eddie continued to cook their meal while they traded banter.

Charlotte noted how comfortable the moment felt. She sat at the counter, watching him work on dinner, while they talked about their days. It was so normal, so comforting. The relationship was still so new, but she couldn't help thinking she could get used to this.

After dinner, they found their way into Charlotte's media room where they selected a movie and curled up together.

"When my parents were first flirting with a relationship they were worried they'd be boring, and boring would be 'Chuck and Blair holding hands; Chuck and Blair going to the movies'," Charlotte grasped Eddie's hands and tangled her fingers into his, "I don't know why they thought this would be a horrible way to spend a day."

"I don't either," he kissed her neck.

"I slept horribly last night," she admitted, "I couldn't get comfortable."

"I couldn't either," he smiled into her neck.

"Is it too soon to ask you to stay over?" she asked.

"Is it too soon to tell you I brought a fresh suit so I could stay the night?"

"Good," she settled against him and refocused on the movie. "We'll just need to make sure you leave before Daddy discovers you stayed over. He may claim he's okay with us, but no need to test his limits just yet."

"Agreed," Eddie chuckled.

 **TBC…**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Hi, Daddy," Charlotte greeted her father the next day at his office. He was hard at work like always but immediately put whatever he was working on aside when she came into the office.

"I thought we were meeting at the restaurant for lunch," Chuck was pleasantly surprised to see his daughter.

"We were," Charlotte hugged him, "I was calling in by HR."

"Oh," he raised a curious brow.

"Reinstated," she held up her company badge, "Effective next Monday."

"Why next Monday?" Chuck congratulated her with a hug.

"There is some additional paperwork which needs to be completed and education the division will need to go through," Charlotte explained, "I'm not complaining."

"Have you told your mother?" Chuck asked.

"You were my first stop," Charlotte replied, "And the second person I told."

"You told Eugenia before me, didn't you," he scowled playfully at her.

"I couldn't help it," Charlotte released a giddy giggle, "I'm just so happy."

"You should be," he smiled, "I never had any doubt."

"Now promise me you won't do something you can't undo," Charlotte demanded.

"Charlotte, I'll wait for HR to present their report to me along with their recommendation," Chuck's CEO voice came out, "I will do what is appropriate."

"Dad, if you fire this person or people, this is going to spiral out of control," Charlotte's own stern voice came out, "They'll spin this as you retaliating against them for going after your daughter."

"No," Chuck held firm, "I'll be terminating an employee who not only engaged in bullying, but filed a bogus complaint against one of my employees. Yes, you are my daughter, so yes, this is personal, but termination is the appropriate reaction no matter who was the target."

"What about the fall out?" Charlotte held firm.

"I can promise you the fall out will be minimal," Chuck reassured her.

"How?" she challenged him, "How does this not turn into a wrongful termination law suit?"

"That will be between HR, the terminated employees and myself," Chuck responded.

"Are you going to pay them off?" Charlotte asked.

"No," Chuck shook his head, "We will simply enforce the policies of our corporation. Every employee signs a code of conduct contract when they are hired. In our code of conduct contract, we cover filing a knowingly fraudulent HR claims. The contract covers the punishment for such claims, which include the option of termination. Employees terminated for such claims waive any right to sue our company for wrongful termination. They can certainly try to make their case, but I'm confident our attorneys will quickly get the case tossed."

"You're assuming the person filed a knowingly fraudulent claim," Charlotte pointed out.

"Did you bully any of your coworkers?" Chuck inquired.

"NO!" she exclaimed.

"Then I don't see how the claim could be anything less than knowingly fraudulent," Chuck replied, "Before any action is taken, we'll wait for HR to make their determination."

"Okay," Charlotte bobbed her head.

"I've read your merger report," Chuck held up the file she turned in before her suspension, "Excellent work."

"Is that my father talking or my boss?" Charlotte asked.

"A bit of both," Chuck smiled, "Most of your recommendations are spot on, though with your conclusion, I thought you might recommend more cuts."

"You said to cut fifty percent, so I stuck to fifty percent," Charlotte replied.

"Yes, I said fifty, but I didn't have benefit of reviewing the reports you did. Don't be afraid to push the boundaries if the situation warrants it," Chuck encouraged her.

"Do you want me to redo the report?" she bit her lip nervously.

"No," he assured her, "I want you to keep my comments in mind for next time."

"Okay," she bobbed her head.

"How about you take your old man to lunch?" Chuck grabbed his suit coat off the back of his chair and slipped into it.

"So long as you're the one buying," Charlotte stepped forward and straightened his tie, "I have been out of work for a few days."

"I think I can swing it," he smirked. "How about you call your mother and have her meet us? You can give her your good news in person."

Charlotte pulled out her phone and called her mother. No surprise, Blair immediately agreed to join them.

* * *

Charlotte was putting the finishing touches on the dinner table. She'd called Eddie after her celebratory lunch with her parents to invite him over. He jumped at the chance.

"Mister Aiden says dinner is almost ready," Daniella came into the dining room.

It was a risk Charlotte was taking. She didn't want her little brother to know yet she was dating Eddie, but she also wanted to show off his talents. She'd made Aiden promise not to be her nosy kid brother and leave immediately after he finished without peeking in the dining room. She sold the idea as getting an impartial review of his cooking from a self-proclaimed foodie. Always eager for an unbiased opinion, he agreed with very little arm-twisting.

Charlotte entered the kitchen to see Aiden hard at work. "You amaze me, Brother," Charlotte took a seat at one of the stools to watch him work.

"Because of my cooking skills or are you generally commenting on my awesomeness?" Aiden smirked.

"Both I suppose," Charlotte laughed, "How is today's masterpiece coming?"

"It should be ready when your mystery guest arrives," Aiden grabbed a spoon from the drawer to give his sauce one final taste.

"Mom and Dad filled me in on your weekend showcase. Apparently you were the star of the event," Charlotte replied, "Are you learning anything at this fancy culinary school of yours?"

"It's not just about the education, it's the connection opportunities," Aiden replied.

"Which is code for nope, you haven't learned a thing," Charlotte surmised, "I bet you're pretty popular with all the ladies too."

"I've met a few," Aiden gave a coy response.

"I'm betting the, 'I'm Aiden Bass' goes quite a long way," Charlotte teased.

"I haven't needed it," he snorted.

"Dad's charmed had to rub off on at least one of us," Charlotte mused.

"I think Dad's charms rubbed off on all of us, just in different ways," Aiden pulled his latest masterpiece out of the oven.

"Smells terrific," Charlotte replied.

"I figured since you couldn't enjoy my flavors during the weekend's showcase, I'd duplicate them for you tonight," Aiden smiled.

"I'm sorry I missed it, Aiden," Charlotte frowned, "I would have been there if…"

"No apology needed," Aiden cut her off, "I know you would have been there if that bogus HR claim wasn't made."

"I promise to be at the next one," she vowed.

"And maybe with this mystery foodie you're seeing," Aiden added a few more ingredients to his dish. "You certainly have both Brice and I curious."

"Good," she responded with glee.

"Ms. Charlotte, your guest is here," Daniella entered the kitchen.

"Thanks, Dani," Charlotte's smile widened. Aiden noticed immediately. "Keep your eye on this one. He comes nowhere near the dining room."

"Of course," Daniella smiled as Charlotte went to greet Eddie.

"You said I couldn't bring anything to contribute to the meal, so I brought something else," Eddie held up a bag from Tiffany's.

"What's this for?" Charlotte snatched up the bag eagerly.

"A little birdy told me we had some celebrating to do," Eddie beamed with pride.

"Birdy, huh," Charlotte frowned, "I was hoping to tell you the good news myself."

"It's better this way," Eddie encouraged her to open the gift, "I came appropriately prepared."

Charlotte immediately pulled the jewelry box from the bag and pried it open. Inside was a beautiful platinum pendant and chain. "It's beautiful," she pulled the pendant from the box to examine it more closely. Inside she felt like swooning. She'd never received jewelry from a man she was dating. This was uncharted territory for her. "Will you help me put it on?"

Eddie fumbled for a moment with the clasp before wrapping it around her neck.

"Thank you," Charlotte took a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror.

"Simple, elegant, like the woman wearing it," he smiled.

"You should have saved the jewelry for Christmas," Charlotte spun towards him and pecked at his lips.

"I have my Christmas gift already picked out," he responded cryptically.

"No hints?" she asked.

"Nope," he replied.

"Fine," she frowned momentarily, "Are you hungry?"

"Famished," he bobbed his head.

"I promise you are in for a gourmet feast," Charlotte guided him into the dining room, "Have a seat. Dinner will be served shortly."

"Can't wait," he took his seat when she guided him to the table.

Charlotte went to check one more time on Aiden's progress. He was just wiping the plate for proper presentation.

"You're the best, Little Brother," Charlotte smiled and grasped both plate, "Now off with you. Dani make sure he goes straight up to my parents' place. Aiden, I'll have a full report for you tomorrow on how amazing the food is."

"You're assuming it is amazing," Aiden replied.

"Of course it is," Charlotte replied, "You made it. You haven't had a dud meal since we were kids."

"Night, Char," Aiden kissed her cheek and then walked with Daniella to the elevator, only a bit tempted to look in the dining room to see who her mystery guest was, but Daniella walked in such a way as to impede his view.

"Finally, just you and me," Charlotte returning to the dining room and set their plates on the table.

"Smells and looks amazing," Eddie took a few moments to let the smells and presentation sink in.

"Aiden's wasting his time at the CIA," Charlotte grabbed her fork and took her first bite, "Oh my god, this is incredible."

Eddie followed her lead and had the same reaction.

"Definitely a dish to add to his menu," Charlotte reached for her phone and immediately texted her brother with her phrase.

"You are right," Eddie took another bite, "Your brother is a culinary savant."

Charlotte had a quick text conversation with her brother and then dove into her meal.

"Have you heard anything regarding fallout within my department today?" Charlotte finally found the will to speak.

"Things are pretty calm at the moment," Eddie replied, "I actually had lunch with your new boss."

"Should I be jealous?" Charlotte raised a curious brow.

"I think she was looking for some feedback on the department she's taking over," Eddie explained, "She knew I was working closely with your department on the most recent merger."

"I'm curious what you told her," Charlotte forked in another bite.

"I told her it's hard to tell at the moment because things with HR haven't been finalized yet," Eddie replied, "I did sing your praises."

"Did she say anything about having to work with the boss's daughter?" Charlotte asked.

"She seemed eager to work with you," Eddie stated, "She's spent the past couple of days reading the merger reports. She was quite impressed by your write up. She did mention being surprised you only recommended a fifty percent cut in work force."

"Dad mentioned that too," Charlotte frowned, "Apparently I took his directive a bit too literal. He's already coached me to follow my instincts."

Eddie could see how much it bothered Charlotte to have had her work critiqued and have flaws found.

"My first report for your father, I forgot to use spell check," Eddie offered, "There were so many errors, your father actually handed it back to me and told me to redo it. I thought for sure he was going to have me fired, but he took me aside privately and coached me. For those he has a vested interest in, he's quite generous with his time and willing to impart his knowledge, and make no mistake about it, your father is a brilliant businessman."

"It's hard to believe he has no formal college education," Charlotte mused, "Here I have this fancy college degree, and I probably know a tiny fraction of what he did when he took over."

"You have a benefit your father didn't have," Eddie reached for her hand, "You have time to learn from the master himself, and you have people who will be with you every step of the way."

"Rationally I know it's going to be years before Dad is ready to retire, but sometimes the thought of sitting in his chair is a bit overwhelming. What if I can't do what he did? What if I can't even maintain what he built?" Charlotte's self doubt came out.

"You'll do great things. I have no doubt," he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Thank you," she smiled. "Changing subject, when does your brother get into town?"

"Tomorrow," Eddie smiled, "I'm taking the afternoon off to pick him and his wife up at the airport."

"Are you excited to see him?" Charlotte asked.

"Ecstatic," he nodded, "I haven't seen him since just before I left London."

"I'm going to lose you for a few days, aren't I?" she smiled.

"Perhaps a day or two," he chuckled.

"Just don't get yourself injured or arrested," she cautioned him, "I really don't want to have to explain a bail expense to my father when our business manager reviews our expenses."

"Here I just figured all your bills are paid no questions asked," he teased.

"They usually are," Charlotte chuckled, "However I think a bail expense might raise a red flag."

"It just might," Eddie snorted.

"So keep it on the straight and narrow or call your parents for bail," Charlotte cautioned him.

"Noted."

 **TBC…**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Three day work week and then your mother's favorite day of the year," Chuck spoke with his daughter when she joined him for breakfast the morning she was going back to work.

"I picked a good week to go back," Charlotte accepted the cup of coffee from Dorota.

"You've been having quite a few meals with your family over the past several days," Blair entered the dining room and broached the subject she and her husband had discussed the previous evening. They were a bit concerned. "You're always welcome, of course, and we love having you, but…"

"Eddie and I are fine," Charlotte reassured them, "Justin and his wife are back in the states. Cedric, Justin and Eddie went to Vermont for a guys' ski weekend. They got back late last night." She didn't feel the need to add that Eddie had slept at her place. The less her father knew the better.

"You should have known about that," Blair backhanded her husband, "Don't you ever ask Eugenia what's going on in her life?"

"I knew Justin and his wife were coming home," Chuck rubbed at his shoulder, "I just didn't know about the guys' weekend. I would have offered the Bass jet."

"I didn't know you were so invested in my relationship with Eddie," Charlotte giggled.

"We just want you to be happy," Blair responded, "From what we've seen of your time spent with Mister Fraser, he most certainly makes you happy."

"Which I'm sure thrills Dad," Charlotte muttered.

"Is he good to you, Charlotte?" Chuck asked.

"Very good," Charlotte reached for the charm around her neck, "I care about him quite a bit."

"No one is ever going to be good enough for my princess, but Mister Fraser is about as close as they come," Chuck replied.

"Is that some sort of round about way of saying you approve?" Charlotte bit her lip.

Chuck grumbled a bit in response.

"Approval might be a relative term where your father is concerned," Blair snickered.

Charlotte glanced at the clock. "I'd better get my satchel. I'd hate to make a bad impression on my new boss."

"I think you'll really like Ms. Washington," Chuck replied.

"She has to be an improvement over my previous boss," Charlotte smiled before leaving her parents' penthouse.

"Promise me you did your homework this time, Bass," Blair demanded.

"I didn't really have to," Chuck replied, "I've worked with Ms. Washington on several occasions, and her superiors sing her phrases."

"Yes, but will she do what is right by our daughter?" Blair asked, "Charlotte doesn't want to be coddled."

"She won't be," Chuck replied, "She'll be expected to pull her own weight."

"Good," Blair smiled. "One bogus suspension is all I'm allowing before I start to make waves myself."

"What kind of waves would you start making, Beautiful?" Chuck wagged a suggestive brow.

"Trust me, you don't want to find out," Blair popped a piece of fruit into her mouth with an innocent sort of smile, reminiscent of one she had used in their youth when she was up to something sinister.

"There's my beautiful Queen B," Chuck reached for her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Don't you forget it, Bass," she gave him a cautionary stare, "I certainly still have that bitch in me when I need it."

"I'm well aware," Chuck gave her a leering smile just as the elevator chimed. "I'd best get to the office before I have other thoughts."

"I hope the ones you're currently having will keep for later," Blair smiled when her husband bent over and pecked at her lips, "Be brilliant today, Bass."

"You too, Beautiful," Chuck lingered against her lips.

"Seriously," Charlotte rolled her eyes as she reentered the dining room to see what was taking so long for her father to join her and of course instantly regretted it. "Tell me again how I don't have fifty siblings?"

"Have a good day, Charlotte," Blair snickered as Chuck followed his daughter to the elevator muttering about how she needed to find herself a new way to the office.

* * *

Charlotte stepped off the elevator after taking a deep breath to settle her nerves. She had no idea what to expect upon her return to the office.

Nothing seemed too different as Charlotte stepped across the department towards her office. A few people looked up from their desks to acknowledge her, but there wasn't any anger or jealousy in their eyes. If anything they appeared happy to see her.

"You must be Charlotte," a pretty woman in her mid-thirties entered her office after knocking on the door. "I'm Octavia Washington. I've heard good things about you."

"I've heard great things about you too, Ms. Washington," Charlotte reached out to shake her hand.

"You may call me Octavia," the woman laughed musically, "Goodness, I hear Ms. Washington, and I look around for my mother-in-law and break out into a cold sweat."

"She can't be that bad, can she?" Charlotte fought to contain a chuckle.

"That is a story for another day," Octavia sent her a wink, "We're holding a group meeting in the conference room in thirty minutes. Get yourself settled and join us."

Charlotte bobbed her head.

Thirty minutes later in the conference room, Charlotte only recognized a few of the faces from before she left on her suspension. Her father hadn't exaggerated when he said there would be changes in her department.

"Thank you everyone for being here," Octavia started the meeting, "I've meet each one of you individually, and I intend to have more in depth discussions with each of you in the coming week to discuss your role within the department and more importantly within the corporation. Before I give you my spiel, I'd like to go around the room and introduce ourselves. I want to know your names, which college you graduated from, and something personal about yourself you feel like sharing with the group. I'll start.

"My name is Octavia Washington. I graduated with a degree in business from Howard University. I married my college sweetheart just after graduating, and we have three children, twin boys and a little girl."

Around the room they went. Charlotte tried to remember the names and personal tidbits the group was offering, and then suddenly it was her turn. "I'm Charlotte Bass. I graduated with a degree in business from Columbia University…I…um…" She struggled to come up with a personal tidbit to share as she felt all eyes boring down on her.

"Anything you'd like, Ms. Bass," Octavia gave her an encouraging smile, "It can be a hobby, your favorite book…anything."

"I have a lot of hobbies," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "I like to ride horses. When I was younger, I was a New York state champion show jumper. My horse, who's retired now, is named Licorice."

The last couple of people went, and then Octavia began her spiel about her vision for the division and how the mistakes of the past regime would not be tolerated under her watch. She had an air of authority about her, but her way of delivering her message was quite friendly. There was an eagerness about her delivery which seemed to spread to her team. Charlotte could see instantly how different things were going to be at the office.

"Hey, Charlotte," one of her coworkers, Charlotte thought her name was Hannah, called out to her on her way back to her office after the meeting, "Would you like to join us for lunch? We're all going to Serrento's as a group as kind of a get to know each other gathering."

"I'd like that," Charlotte smiled.

"Great," Hannah smiled, "And I just wanted to say, you handled things with those allegations really well. Brittney and Tish were rotten to the core. I told HR as much when they asked. You didn't deserve the treatment they gave you. I wish I'd had the backbone to stand up to them, but I was afraid I'd become targets."

"I don't blame you," Charlotte assured her, "I'm just glad things worked out. I really want to do this job well."

"Just so you know, things have gotten a lot better since Octavia came into the department last week," Hannah replied, "At least she doesn't shake when she hands out assignments."

"He did that for you too?" Charlotte laughed, "I thought it was just me because of my last name."

"No, I think he just had some sort of nervous twitch whenever he was handing out work," Hannah smiled as they approached the door to Charlotte's office. "We're leaving at eleven thirty. Octavia is giving us an extra half hour for lunch, since it's a team building sort of exercise…oh, maybe I shouldn't have told you that. I mean what would your father think, being CEO and all."

"Don't you worry about my father," Charlotte winked at her, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him, and he certainly won't hear anything from me."

"Okay," Hannah sighed in relief, "We'll see you at the elevator at eleven thirty."

"I'll be ready," Charlotte nodded.

Charlotte returned to her desk and looked at the stack of papers in her inbox. She was just about to dive in when her boss popped her head into her office.

"Oh good, you found your next assignment," Octavia smiled, "I was just coming to speak to you about it. I read your work on the last project and it was quite good, but I was a bit surprised by the conclusion."

"I know, I didn't follow through. I look our directions too literal. We were told to cut fifty percent, so I stuck to fifty," Charlotte frowned, "I've already been coached…twice actually."

"I want you to know if you ever have any questions about your assignment or want to bounce ideas off me, my door is always open," Octavia stated, "This isn't a one way street anymore. I'm not just going to hand out assignments and then only pop up on the due date to collect the results. I'm here to make sure everyone has the tools they need to get their work done."

"I appreciate that," Charlotte nodded.

"I know I told everyone I'd set up time with them this week to discuss their roles within the division and within Bass, but do you think you have a bit of time right now?" Octavia came further into Charlotte's office.

"Right now?" Charlotte gulped nervously.

"No time like the present," Octavia shut the door and took a seat across the desk from Charlotte. "These are meant to be informal anyways, and there are a few tricky bits we'll need to navigate."

"I'm guessing my last name is one of them," Charlotte came around the desk and took the chair next to Octavia. If it was an informal discussion, Charlotte wanted to treat it as one.

"That is a particularly tricky bit," Octavia nodded, "It's no secret you'll eventually be groomed to take over your father's job as CEO. While it's not likely to happen for several more years, there are going to be some people within the corporation who are always going to treat you with kid gloves. You need to know, I will not be one of them.

"I expect you to do the work I give you without any questions or second guessing. Your assignments must be fully proofed and made available four days before they are due to the executive office. That will give me a chance to review and provide feedback before they make their way upstairs."

"I think I can handle that," Charlotte nodded.

"You won't be getting any preferential treatment either," Octavia stated, "If I see you trying to pull rank or go over my head, I promise it will not end well. Yes, you are the CEO's daughter, but you are my employee. I'll treat you with the respect you are do, so long as you do the same for me."

"That's fair," Charlotte nodded.

"Now, the second tricky bit," Octavia smiled, "This bogus bullying claim. That's going to follow you for awhile."

"I know," Charlotte frowned.

"Even though you've been fully exonerated by HR, there are going to be some who believe you were given preferential treatment because of your last name, especially since nearly this entire department turned over as a result of the nonsense that went on around here before I came on board," Octavia replied, "You'll need to win your colleagues' trust. I know Hannah has already invited you to today's team luncheon. I would suggest you go out of your way to make a good impression on everyone."

"I will do my best," Charlotte nodded in understanding.

"And lastly, your relationship with Mister Fraser," Octavia stated.

Charlotte's jaw dropped in surprise. She thought she and Eddie had been discreet so far.

"Eddie and I are good friends," Octavia elaborated, "I could tell by the way his eyes sparkled as he sung your praises when we had lunch last week that there was more going on than professional observations. It's not against company policy for you to be involved since you do not work in the same division, but I do expect you two to remain professional with each other while in the office."

"That certainly is our intention," Charlotte replied.

"Like I said, Eddie is a good friend. He's one of the first people I met when coming to work for Bass. I've never seen him quite so happy as I did last week. He's good at his job, and he's a terrific person."

"I agree on both counts," Charlotte nodded her head, "If you're worried about Eddie professionally if things don't work out between us, don't. I've known Eddie my entire life, and I know what kind of man he is. It's important to me that he succeeds no matter our relationship. I've already had discussions with my father, and no matter what happens between me and Eddie personally Eddie will professionally be protected."

"That's good to hear," Octavia smiled, "Now, this next assignment I gave you, we're already a bit behind schedule. We've been asked to have our recommendations to the executive team by the first of the year. With the holidays and extra time off, we're all going to have to hustle a bit. As you'll have less time than the rest, you've been given the smallest division to review, but I expect if you finish early to chip in if you can."

"That's part of how I got in trouble with the last assignment," Charlotte sighed. "I offered to help someone and it blew up in my face."

"If it blows up in your face this time, I promise things will not end well for the person who takes advantage of you," Octavia stated, "I think you'll find I can be your best friend or your worst enemy."

"Let's hope for more of the former than the ladder," Charlotte smiled.

"My door is always open," Octavia rose to her feet, "I'll let you get started."

"Thank you," Charlotte walked back around to have a seat at her desk.

She was elbow deep in her report when Eddie popped in to see if she was available for lunch.

"I should have called you," Charlotte frowned slightly, "We're having lunch as a division today, as sort of a get to know you thing. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for," Eddie assured her, "You definitely should go. I can entertain myself for lunch."

"I have a question first," Charlotte glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "Would it be a bad idea if I bought lunch for everyone today?"

"Why would that be a bad idea?" Eddie asked.

"I don't know," she sighed heavily, "Maybe they'll take it as me showing off all the money I have…I'm so skittish around everyone. I don't even know how to act anymore."

"I think it would be a nice gesture," he assured her, "Just make sure you leave the server a good tip."

"I tip my doorman at my building twenty bucks every time he opens the door for me," Charlotte pointed out, "If it's one thing Charlotte Bass knows how to do, it's tip. I was just a little girl the first time I tipped someone. The poor guy was afraid to take it until my dad reassured him it was okay."

"You remember such an event?" he raised a curious brow.

"Yes, my father likes to tell the story at parties," Charlotte explained, "I've lost count of the number of times I've heard it."

"Parents are like that," Eddie chuckled.

"Am I going to see you tonight?" Charlotte lowered her voice when a coworker walked passed her office. It was nearly meeting time, so Charlotte knew she had to be quick with her conversation.

"Justin, Abigail and I are doing a bit of sightseeing," Eddie replied, "Abigail has never really seen much of New York. I'd invite you except…"

"It's okay," Charlotte assured him, "I can dine with my parents again this evening. I guess until we start telling people I'm going to have to get used to seeing you less."

"We can't sightsee all night," Eddie pointed out.

"I suppose it is getting a bit cramped at your parents' apartment now with Justin and Abigail staying with them," Charlotte smiled, "I do have a lot of extra space."

"And we do tend to sleep better when we're together," Eddie went with the thoughts she was also having.

"You can let yourself in if I'm already asleep," Charlotte handed him a keycard to the elevator. "Just make sure to keep that on you when you're coming to my place. It allows you access even if the doorman doesn't let you up."

"Is this the Bass equivalent of giving me a key to your place?" he teased.

"It might be," she played coy, "I'll see you tonight."

 **TBC…**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **The extended absence was not by design. There has been a lot going on in my personal life, so I appreciate you all being patient. Having said that, enjoy!**

"You're actually making time in your busy schedule for your mother," Blair met her daughter for lunch at the agreed upon time the day before Thanksgiving. It had been over a week since they'd seen each other. Even though Charlotte only lived a floor down, it seemed like they were two ships passing in the night recently.

"You make it sound like a chore," Charlotte laughed as they were promptly seated.

"I just figured you'd rather eat with a certain red headed charmer we both know," Blair opened her menu and began surveying her options, "Are things still going okay between you two?"

"Yeah, things are great," Charlotte tried to reassure her mother, but something had been gnawing at her since their weekend in the Hamptons.

"How about you try that again and make it a bit more convincing," Blair suggested. Of course her mother would pick up on Charlotte's hesitate tone.

"No, things really are great," Charlotte replied, "Except for not spending the day together tomorrow things are going along perfectly, perhaps almost too perfect."

"How so?" Blair asked.

"We agree about almost everything," Charlotte sighed, "And he's so patient with me."

"Patient how so?" Blair raised a brow.

Charlotte shifted uncomfortably in her seat for a moment. Her mother had always made it clear she was available when Charlotte had questions regarding the opposite sex. "We can talk about this right? It's not going to be awkward considering it's Eddie, and you regularly have lunch with his mother?"

"Whatever you and I talk about is just between the two of us," Blair reached for her hand, "You know that."

"He's not trying anything with me," Charlotte sighed, "When we were in the Hamptons, I told him I wanted to take things slow, but apparently he took it to mean glacial. He's hardly laid a hand on me since, even when we sleep."

"Sleep?"

"He's been staying over regularly since we got back," Charlotte bit her lip. She hadn't intended on letter her mother in on her secret. "If you tell Dad, Eddie is a dead man."

"Oh, Sweetie, I'm not dumb enough to tell your father anything when it comes to you and your relationship with Eddie," Blair smiled.

"What do I do, Mom?" Charlotte asked, "About moving forward? I don't know what to do, and I don't really have that much experience to draw from. Devon was always the horny college guy when it came to the physical stuff. Eddie is much more the gentleman."

"It might be as simple as talking to him," Blair suggested, "Explain what you meant by slow."

"Yeah, maybe," Charlotte sighed.

"Is there more?" Blair asked.

"Do you ever regret not having more relationships before you and Dad settled down?" Charlotte asked.

"Why in the world would I regret that?" Blair scoffed, "Have you not been paying attention your entire life? Your father and I fit about as well as two people could."

"I'm not saying you settled for the wrong person," Charlotte replied, "Do you ever think that maybe you settled down too soon entirely? Maybe you should have waited a couple of years to be with Daddy and had a bit more life experience first."

"I was able to experience everything I wanted in life with your father," Blair stated, "My relationship with your father has never once held me back from anything I've wanted to do. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He believed in me so much it gave me the confidence to start my own clothing line almost right out of college. I never would have done that if he hadn't been at my side."

"Yeah, I suppose," Charlotte frowned.

"Do you feel like your relationship with Eddie is holding you back from things you want to experience?" Blair asked.

"No, but I think maybe I'm slowing him down," Charlotte admitted, "He's a bit older than me. What if he wants to settle down and start a family? I don't know if I'm even ready for that. I'm just starting my career at Bass."

"These are things you need to discuss with Eddie," Blair replied, "You can think about these things all you want, but you won't have any answers until you hear them from him."

"Yeah, maybe," Charlotte bit her lip.

"Do you know what you want to order?" Blair noted their waiter was lurking nearby in hopes of getting their order.

"Yeah," Charlotte opened her menu and began looking. Nothing looked particularly tempting so she chose the lightest option possible. She knew tomorrow's feast would fill her belly sufficiently, probably for the next week.

"You never did say what Dad gave you for your birthday last week," Charlotte asked her mother after their orders had been placed. Her father had virtually hijacked the birthday celebration Charlotte and Aiden had tried to plan for her, saying he was taking her away for a long weekend on their private island in the Mediterranean. As a result, Aiden, Brice and Charlotte had all chipped in for the beautiful necklace Blair was currently wearing which they'd sent ahead with their father.

"That's probably best kept between me and your father," Blair gave her daughter a slight smile.

"Ew," Charlotte cringed at the possibility. "Aiden and I wanted to do something with you and Dad, but he sort of hijacked things."

"Your father told me, and it was sweet that you two wanted to celebrate, but it's become sort of a tradition for your father and I," Blair replied, "Ever since I was sixteen, we've celebrated my birthday together."

"Yes, but usually there is some sort of blow out party first," Charlotte pointed out, "Then you two sneak away for one of your…rendezvouses."

"This year was a special milestone for us," Blair responded, "It's was the thirtieth anniversary of our first night together."

"Wow, thirty years of getting horizontal together," Charlotte was taken aback by her mother's announcement. Of course if she'd sat down to do the math, she would have figured out it was a significant anniversary, but she'd long ago stopped keeping track of her parents and their escapades. "That's a long time."

"And we're hoping for at minimum thirty more," Blair sent her daughter a wink.

"You two will probably make it to a hundred and still be more sexually activity than Brice, Aiden and I combined," Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"How about we change subjects?" Blair suggested. While she and her husband had taken their share of ribbing from their children over the year for their never ending lust for each other, in public probably wasn't the best place. "Are we having any additional guest for tomorrow's meal I should be preparing for?"

"No," Charlotte frowned, "Eddie's not joining us. With Justin and his wife in the states, they're all celebrating together at Eugenia's, sort of a one last big meal together before the baby comes."

"Eugenia is so excited to become a grandmother," Blair smiled.

"I think Eddie is excited to become an uncle too," Charlotte confirmed, "He asked for my helping in picking something out for the baby. He's going to give it to Justin and Abigail for Christmas."

"Speaking of Christmas, have you and Eddie decided if you're exchanging gifts?" Blair asked.

"I think he already has one picked out for me," Charlotte admitted, "He seems pretty confident that it's going to be the perfect gift, which puts a lot of pressure on me. You know how bad I am at picking out gifts."

"That's not true," Blair scoffed, "Remember that watch you gave your father for his birthday years ago, he still wears it nearly everyday."

"Then apparently I exhausted my entire creativity on that one gift," Charlotte frowned, "Brice and Aiden always tease me about the gifts I pick out for them every year."

"That's what younger brothers are supposed to do," Blair assured her.

"Okay, what gift have I given you that was the most meaningful?" Charlotte challenged her mother.

Blair sputtered for a moment to come up with a response.

"See, you can't come up with anything," Charlotte replied.

"Awe, I've got it," Blair interrupted her daughter from going on the rant that was forming, "You said Mama before Dada."

"Really, that's the best you can come up with?" Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea how much that gift has meant to me, still does even to this day," Blair reached across the table to take her daughter's hand again. "You know how strained my relationship has been with my mother, and how important it was for me to do better with you and your brothers. From day one, you were always such a daddy's little girl. I worried history was going to repeat itself a bit. When you said Mama first, it showed me I had a place in your life."

"I know it was a special moment for you, but how exactly did I say Mama first instead of Dada?" Charlotte asked, "You said it yourself, I've always been such a daddy's girl."

"Your father manipulated it a bit," Blair snickered, "We had made a bet on what your first word would be. He was determined to be right, so he coached you into it."

"Do I even want to know what the result of winning the bet was?" Charlotte hesitated.

"It's not what you think," Blair laughed, "His reward for winning the bet was to celebrate Christmas in New York. It's how our family Bass Family Christmas in New York celebrate began."

"I like our Christmas tradition," Charlotte smiled.

"I do too," Blair returned her daughter's smile.

* * *

"I missed you at lunch today," Eddie greeted Charlotte at her penthouse after work with a light peck at the lips. "How was lunch with your mom?"

"It was the usual," Charlotte shrugged, "Are you hungry? Have you eaten?"

"I was under the assumption we were eating together so yes, I'm hungry," Eddie frowned slightly, "Is everything okay?" Charlotte looked a bit distracted. He worried it was something to do with work. She'd only been back for a few days. So far she'd been accepted, but he still worried those who remained in the department might still have some lingering hard feelings towards her.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Charlotte waved away his concern as she pulled him towards the dining room.

"Hey, Charlotte, look at me," Eddie resisted her efforts and spun her to face him, "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," she forced herself to smile.

Eddie could see through her efforts and tenderly reached out to caress her cheek, "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"Do you find me desirable?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Eddie looked like he'd been stunned by her sudden question. "Repeat that for me."

"Do you find me desirable?" Charlotte spoke each word slowly and with purpose even though it took every ounce of courage she had in her.

"Charlotte, I think you're one of the most beautiful women in the world," he spoke sincerely.

"Beautiful and desirable are two completely separate adjectives," Charlotte pointed out.

"Where is this coming from?" his arms encircled her waist.

"This is partially my fault…well, maybe all my fault," her eyes cast to the floor.

"Hey, look at me," he lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. There were tears welling in her eyes that tore a bit at his heart.

"I asked you for slow," she swallowed hard as she looked into his emerald depths.

"And I thought that's what I've been giving you," he bobbed his head, "Is us sharing a bed most nights too much? Have you felt I've been pressuring you for more?"

"No," she shook her head vigorously.

"Then what…Charlotte, what are you trying to say?" he was clearly confused.

Charlotte took a deep breath to try to compose her thought, "When I said slow, I think you took it the wrong way." She could feel her cheeks crimsoning under his intense stare.

"How was I supposed to take it?"

"It's not like I'm not experienced," she chose her words carefully, "I've been with a few guys, and with them it was basically one mad dash to the bedroom every time. There never really was much time for appreciation. I've heard enough out of my parents to know that whatever I've experienced was rushed and…god, this is embarrassing."

"Hey, you can tell me anything," he tried to put her at ease.

"I've never felt like I was cherished," she explained, "I was the means to a release…there were no sparks, no firecrackers, no…"

Eddie dipped in to save her from having to continue on before she died of embarrassment. He poured every feeling he was having for her into their kiss. All Charlotte could do was hang on as she felt her knees about to give way.

"Any man who hasn't made you feel cherished is a fool," he looked deep into her eyes.

"I didn't start this conversation with the intentions of us ending up in the bedroom tonight," she felt herself blushing again.

"And here I was hoping for my nightly cuddle," he tried to keep things light.

"God, I'm so naïve about how to talk about these things," Charlotte looked away, "Why do you put up with me and my inexperience?"

"Because I care a great deal about you," he turned her towards him so she could see the sincerity in his eyes, "You may be younger than me and less experienced, but that doesn't minimize your feelings. I want you to be comfortable with me. I want you to be able to tell me everything you're feeling, especially when it comes to our physical relationship. If you like something or want something, tell me. If you don't like something, I want to know that too."

"I like kissing you," she rose up on her toes to press her lips to his, "And I like being held by you, especially when we sleep."

"All things I like too," he smiled.

"Let's eat," she stepped out of his embrace and pulled him again towards the dining room. She was suddenly famished.

"I want to be clear about something," he resisted her pull one last time, "Yes, I find you desirable. There isn't a day I don't think about wanting to move forward with you, but I'm okay with waiting because I'm in this for the long haul."

"Good," she smiled, "I am too…Now can we eat?"

"Yes, let's eat," he chuckled and finally allowed her to pull him into the dining room.

 **TBC…**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **I'm a bit behind on my holidays storyline wise, but enjoy it all the same.**

"Hey, Charlee," Serena greeted her goddaughter with a hug when she arrived at the Bass penthouse with her latest male companion at the appointed time on Thanksgiving Day.

"Hi, Serena," Charlotte returned her hug.

"Where's your mom?" Serena glanced around as she shed her coat and handed it to the attendant hired for the day. For the last several years, Dorota was given every holiday off, but she always had a standing invitation to join in the festivities. This year Chuck had sprung for her to return to Poland to visit her family. Blair felt the loss of her presence almost immediately.

"Sternly lecturing the caterer," Charlotte sighed, "Apparently there was a bit of a mix up with the food, and we're eating a bit sooner than she'd arranged."

"Uh oh," Serena chuckled, "No one wants to be on the business end of Blair Waldorf Bass's lecture, especially when they are in the wrong."

"Trust me, I know," Charlotte laughed.

"Have you met Councilman Harris?" Serena introduced her guest.

"Haven't had the pleasure," Charlotte extended her hand to the man. She was raised to always be polite, so she didn't feel the need to mention that she thought Serena's latest relationship would last about as long as the last one, maybe through New Year's Day. It seemed Serena's relationships were getting shorter with each passing year.

"You're as beautiful as your mother," the councilman's hands lingered against Charlotte's for longer than was probably appropriate. She promptly yanked them away. She was most grateful when the elevator chimed the arrival of their next guest.

"Hi, Sweetheart," Nate stepped off the elevator and greeted Charlotte with a hug and a kiss to her forehead, "How's my favorite goddaughter?"

"Better now," Charlotte hugged him tight as Serena and her boyfriend migrated into the living room to greet the other guests who had already arrived. Charlotte noticed Serena's date making a beeline for the bar to pour himself a healthy tumbler full of scotch.

"Everything okay?" he whispered in her ear. While she was always happy to see him, her tight hug told him something wasn't quite right.

"He gives off a weird vibe," Charlotte motioned slightly towards Serena's date.

"Stick with me, Sweetheart," he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "I'll keep him away from you."

"I know," she smiled, "You're just about as protective of me as my dad."

"Damn right," he chuckled, "Just say the word, and I'll deck him."

"Tempting," she snorted, "No date today?"

"Nope, flying solo," he shook his head, "I appear to have an opening if you're up to it for the day."

"Deal," Charlotte laughed and linked her arm with his. It had become a special thing for the both of them since she was a little girl. Whenever Nate arrived at a family or social function stag, Charlotte wormed her way into being his date. It started out as a joke, but as she grew more into the social scene it became a way for her to practice working the room. Now she was more of a pro than he was. An added benefit of the arrangement was Nate's presence kept away the undesirables.

"I know why I'm flying solo today, but I thought you'd have a line of men jumping at the chance to spend holidays with you," he teased.

"Maybe Christmas," she gave him a wink just as Blair emerged from the kitchen where the mini crisis appeared to be under control for at least the moment. She took over hostess duties, which allowed Charlotte to make a bit of an escape to check her phone. She'd received several messages while greeting guests but didn't have the time to answer them.

"Is your family boring you?" Chuck found his daughter in his office just before the family was about to sit down for the family feast. She was sitting at his desk with her feet up like she was right at home.

"Just responding to a few texts," Charlotte pocketed her phone and rose to her feet.

"Mister Fraser?" Chuck raised a curious brow.

"First it was a couple of my sorority sisters, and then Brice," she shook her head, "He wants to video conference after he's done with class. It's supposed to be a surprise for mom. He knows how much it bummed her out that he couldn't come for the holiday."

"She understands his need to attend his classes," Chuck wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Doesn't mean she's happy about it," Charlotte leaned against her father as they walked towards where their family was gathering.

"She's not serious about me turning Central Park into a vineyard, is she?" he chuckled.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Charlotte laughed as they joined the gathered. "If it brings Brice back to the states, she'd at least want you to look into it."

Charlotte immediately went over to converse with her grandfather in French. She was joined in the discussion with his life partner, Roman and her grandmother, Eleanor. She loved listening to Harold and Roman banter back and forth in what was their native language. Though it might seem odd to some, it wasn't at all awkward to have Eleanor chime in. The animosity between the divorced pair had disappeared over the last couple of decades. With Eleanor now living nearly full time in France, they conversed regularly.

"How's Bass treating you, Charlotte?" Eleanor asked her granddaughter in English when her Uncle Eric approached and put his arm around her waist.

"It's been a bit bumpy at times," Charlotte confessed as her head rested against Eric's shoulder, "Upper management just changed around the department though and things are going a lot better."

"Bet it helped when you bought everyone lunch on your first day back," Eric teased her.

"It was a kind gesture," Charlotte smiled, "At least they actually invited me out. They could have ignored me like everyone in the division did before the management change."

Eleanor looked completely lost by the conversation Eric and Charlotte were having.

"Someone falsely accused me of bullying them into doing my work for me," Charlotte filled her grandmother in, "While I was on administrative leave, a lot of other things came out about how dysfunctional the division was. Upper management thought it was best to shuffle things around. I'm working for this really amazing new boss. It's incredible how different it is going to work now. I no longer dread going into the office."

"Charles, how could you let Charlotte be targeted like that?" Eleanor scolded her son-in-law when he approached to let everyone know dinner was about to be served.

"I see you're spreading the good news," Chuck gave his daughter a playful scowl before addressing Eleanor, "I didn't have a clue what was going on until HR brought the dysfunction to my attention. I assure you everything has been appropriately handled, and I've learned from my mistakes."

"It really wasn't Daddy's fault," Charlotte chimed in defense of her father, "I didn't tell him what was going on. Everything has worked out though."

"Shall we eat?" Chuck ushered everyone towards the elaborately set table, under his breath so only Charlotte could hear, he added, "Before Serena's date drinks himself under the table."

Charlotte gave him an amused smile and was about to take her seat at the table when she felt her phone vibrate. "I'll be right back."

"Don't take too long," Charlotte's cousin, Penny, who idolized her and practically followed her around at every family gathering, told her, "You don't want to miss out on the mashed potatoes."

"Save my seat, Sweet Pea," Charlotte smiled at her adoring cousin before she disappeared into her father's office to take Eddie's call. "I thought we weren't going to converse until this evening."

"What can I say? I couldn't wait," he chuckled.

"You're going to make me miss saying grace," Charlotte told him.

"Sorry, I didn't realize you guys were sitting down already," he winced, "I thought you always ate a bit later."

"Caterers booked us a bit earlier this year," Charlotte explained, "Mom wasn't altogether thrilled with the change in schedule, but everyone arrived when they were supposed to so it all worked out."

"I can see how your mom wouldn't be pleased," he chuckled, "You'd better go. I'd hate for you to miss out on the meal because of me."

"Don't be silly. We have enough to feed a large army as it is," she replied, "Your entire family could have joined us, and we'd still have a mountain of food left over."

"Trust me, we'll have plenty leftovers ourselves," Eddie stated, "I think Mom overestimated how much we eat as a family."

"Is she making the entire meal by herself?" Charlotte asked. Even Aiden didn't cook on Thanksgiving, except to help her grandfather make his famous pumpkin pie.

"Abigail helped a bit when Mom would let her. Justin, Dad and I have wisely stayed out of the kitchen. Dad went in once to get a drink of water and ended up getting swatted by a wooden spoon. Justin and I are a bit dehydrated, but we'll survive until the food is on the table," he chuckled.

"As much as I hate to say this, I'd better get going," Charlotte sighed, "Our meal is on the table, and I'm sure I want to watch what sort of trouble Serena's latest male companion causes. He been pounding back the scotch at a pretty decent clip since the moment he arrived."

"We're still on for leftovers tonight, right?" he asked.

"Yep, Mom already instructed the caterers to set a few things aside," Charlotte confirmed, "I'll see you at my place in a few hours."

"Can't wait," he smiled.

Charlotte returned to the table just in time for the food to start making the rounds. Fortunately she was sandwiched in between Nate and her cousin, Penny, so she didn't have to make awkward conversation with Serena or her guest who happened to be sitting across the table. Penny was such a chatter box; she took most of Charlotte's attention.

After a lively meal in which Serena's male companion made a complete fool of himself. Nate was quite eager to throw the man out of the building by the collar of his shirt. Serena followed shortly after, apologizing profusely for the disturbance. As everything was settling down and the call from Brice sufficiently returned the mood back to the jovial family gathering, Charlotte was able to slip away from the gathering mostly unnoticed with a helping of leftovers.

"Hope you don't mind, I let myself in," Eddie was in the kitchen getting ingredients ready for their meal of leftovers.

"I don't mind at all," Charlotte approached to peck at his lips, "I like that you feel comfortable here."

"It helps that the lady of the manor is so welcoming," he loosely wrapped his arms around her waist when she set her containers on the counter. "How was your Bass family Thanksgiving?"

"Eventful," Charlotte giggled slightly, "Your family should have joined us. It would have been fun entertainment for the entire family."

"Oh," he raised a curious brow.

"I'll tell you over dinner," she smiled as her arms came around his neck, "How was your meal?"

"Sounds like it was much quieter than yours," he replied as they began to sway a bit. "Mom made a fantastic meal. It was the traditional feast Justin and I have been missing for the past several years we've been away."

"Home cooked holiday meals are just such a foreign concept to me," Charlotte smiled, "Our holiday meals have always been catered."

"Yes, I remember," he nodded, "That's your holiday tradition, and it works for your family. We've been lucky enough to be invited on many occasions."

"Play your cards right, and maybe you'll be invited again," she smiled.

"And perhaps you'd consider joining us in our celebration," his arms tightened a bit around her waist. "Would you like that?"

"Sounds like fun," she nodded. "I don't have to help cook, do I?"

"No, I think you'll be kept far away from the actually cooking," he chuckled, "You may have to wash a few dishes after the meal though."

"Then I'd better learn how before I break bread with your family," she sighed as her head came to rest against his chest.

"I'd be happy to teach you."

"I'm not hungry just yet," she replied, "How about we put the leftovers in the fridge and chill out in the movie room?"

"Deal," he allowed her to pull him into the theater.

They cued up a recently released movie and relaxed. After the chaos of Charlotte's family meal, she needed this quietness.

"Justin and Abigail know about us," Eddie spoke during a quiet moment of the movie.

"What?" Charlotte snatched up the remote to pause the movie.

"Justin and Abby know about us," Eddie repeated, "Dad accidently let it slip during our meal."

"How did Justin take it?" Charlotte voice quivered nervously.

"He was surprised obviously," Eddie chose his words carefully.

"In a bad way?" she twisted so she could look into his eyes.

"Not angry," Eddie shook his head, "Just really surprised. For him, it came out of nowhere."

"I wonder if that is how Aiden and Brice will react," Charlotte frowned.

"I was quite surprised by your father's reaction," Eddie admitted, "I figured I'd need to enter myself in the witness relocation program when he found out. He's been surprisingly accepting."

"I think it's the way he found out," Charlotte relaxed against his chest, her fingers tangling with his, "If I hadn't been facing career ruin at the moment, I think his reaction would have been more what we both expected."

"Do you think we're in the clear now that you're back at work?" he asked.

"I don't know," she responded hesitantly. "I want to say yes, but this is Daddy. Anything could set him off."

"So we should probably keep our sleepovers quiet," he smirked.

"Yes, for the rest of our lives," Charlotte laughed.

"Are you mad Justin and Abby know?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head, "Maybe if Justin reacted badly, I would be. I know we agreed to keep things quiet with the family until Christmas, but I'm really starting to question why? I really wanted you with me today."

"The feeling is entirely mutual," he kissed her temple. "So how was your meal? You said eventful."

"Oh god," Charlotte groaned, "Serena brought this really horrible guy. He's a councilman for the city, and also apparently quite the connoisseur of all things alcohol. The guy passed out in his mashed potatoes."

"You're not serious?" he snorted.

"I'm totally serious," Charlotte laughed, "The moment he arrived, he went straight to the bar and started knocking them back, one right after the other. He could barely find the dinner table. He started playing footsie with Nate, probably thinking it was me. Then all of a sudden, thud, right in his mashed potatoes. The guy had gravy all over his face when he came to. Serena just played it off like he was really nervous to meet everyone, but the guy gave me the serious willies the moment he shook my hand."

"Which is why you wanted me with you?" Eddie concluded.

"That was part of it," Charlotte replied, "Uncle Nate stepped in and played the protector roll quite well. He nearly broke the guy's foot when he realized who was playing footsie with him. Had it been Serena, he probably would have played along."

"Why didn't your Uncle Nate and Aunt Serena ever get together?" Eddie asked.

"They do occasionally," Charlotte admitted, "They have this really complicated relationship. I don't think Serena ever wants to really settle down again, and Uncle Nate doesn't want to settle down, ever. Mom says it's mostly hormonal for them. They do have chemistry, but they're not interested in making it work long term. If I'm honest, I think Uncle Nate is too good for Serena. She my godmother, and I love her, but she's never really figured out who she is. He's certainly not going to wait for her to figure it out."

"And your Uncle Nate has himself all figured out?" Eddie challenged.

"Way more than Serena," Charlotte nodded, "He may not have the entire romantic relationship thing figured out, but he's got a direction. He doesn't just live on publicity and a trust fund."

"I suppose that is a good description of your aunt," Eddie conceded.

"Anyways after the footsie incident, Nate was all too happy to throw the guy out of the building, and I mean literally," Charlotte replied.

"Saved your father from doing it," Eddie chuckled.

"I think there would have been a line of family members ready to do it," Charlotte laughed along with him, "Honestly, I don't know where Serena digs up some of these guys."

"It's probably something you don't even want to know," he pointed out.

"Come on, I'm getting hungry," Charlotte tugged on his hand, "Let's eat and then finish up this movie."

"After I teach you how to wash dishes," he willingly followed her into the kitchen.

 **TBC…**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **As a holiday gift to you all, I made the chapter extra long. Enjoy!**

Charlotte was busy with her work when there was an unexpected knock at her office door. She was surprised when she looked up to see the visitor standing in her doorway. "Justin!" she was instantly up off her chair and darted around to give her boyfriend's brother a hug. "Oh my god, it's been forever since I've seen you. You look great."

"You too," Justin stepped back to take in the sight of Charlotte Bass all grown up, "I was half expecting to walk in to see you in pigtails."

"I haven't worn pigtails in at least a decade," Charlotte laughed and pointed towards one of the chairs, "Have a seat. Let's catch up."

"Is this a bad time?" he took a seat at one of her chairs, "Eddie mentioned your division was working on a rather short deadline."

"It seems to be the way things work in this division," Charlotte laughed, "We're always working with tight deadlines, but I've got time for you, always. How's the Army treating you?"

"I love what I do," his face split into a proud smile, "It even gave me a wife and soon a baby girl."

"Awe, it's a girl!" Charlotte gushed, "Eddie didn't tell me that."

"We just found out this morning at Abby's appointment. I had to rush right over here to tell my mother and brother," Justin replied. Clearly impending fatherhood agreed with him. His entire face with lit with happiness.

"I can't wait to meet Abby," Charlotte replied, "Eddie raves about her."

"He raves about you too," Justin replied, "If I'm honest, you could have knocked me over with a feather when he told us the two of you were dating."

"It wasn't something either of us planned," Charlotte admitted, "When we were kids, I'm pretty sure it was obvious I had a crush on him, but who wouldn't. You and Eddie were always quite handsome, but him and me dating just gradually started to make sense."

Justin felt his cheeks crimson at her compliment. "Eddie is as happy as I've seen him in a long time."

"Part of that might be because he's back home, and you're back here too. He really missed being around his family," Charlotte replied.

"Yeah, I did too," Justin nodded, "It's one of the reason Abby and I accepted the assignments here."

"Did you get the care packages I sent you on your last deployment?" she asked.

"Every week, like clockwork," he nodded, "I was the envy of my unit. Between you, your mother, my wife, my wife's mother, and my mother, I was swimming in treats."

"Hopefully you spread the wealth," Charlotte snickered.

"Oh yeah," he chuckled, "I had to, or I might have been the victim of friendly fire. You didn't have to go through the trouble, but thank you."

"Of course I did," Charlotte replied, "You were bravely putting yourself in harm's way to fight for our country. A few care packages were the least I could do for you and your unit."

"You probably don't have time for some idol chitchat, so I'm just going to do what I came here to do," Justin stated after a pronounced clearing of his throat.

"One of the things I've always liked about you, Justin," Charlotte smiled, "I always knew where I stood with you. I was the bratty, spoiled, rich girl who followed you around and pestered both you and your brother."

"Char," Justin tried to stop her from continuing on.

"This is the part of the conversation where you tell me to end things with him so he doesn't get caught up in the drama that will certainly follow me. I'm only going to drag him down."

"Char," Justin covered her hand with his to stop her, "You're putting words in my mouth that aren't even there."

"Must be my own thoughts then," she frowned, "We've only been dating for a few months, and already I'm making headlines with the paparazzi. I've been suspended at the office…"

"Charlotte, none of what happened was your fault," Justin told her, "What I want to tell you is how happy I am to see him happy."

"But," she prompted him.

"He's my younger brother, so I wouldn't be fulfilling my older brother duties if I didn't say something to the effect of, if you hurt him, I will never forgive you," he tried to look menacing as he said it, but it came off more as him teasing her.

"That's fair," she did her best to stifle the giggle she felt bubbling to the surface.

"What about Bass?" he asked, "What happens if the two of you don't work out personally? Is he going to have to find something else professionally?"

"No," Charlotte shook her head vigorously, "I made my father promise no matter what happens between me and Eddie personally, professionally his career goes as far as he wants it to."

"You've thought this through," Justin smiled.

"I would never forgive myself if Eddie's career was negatively affected by our dating," Charlotte admitted.

"I know I'm putting the cart before the horse, but have you thought about what it will be like when your father retires and you take over?" Justin asked. "You'll be Eddie's boss."

"Technically my dad is my mom's boss, and they've made it work for as long as I can remember," Charlotte spoke after a few moments of thought.

"Because your mother basically runs her own business," Justin pointed out, "Your father just absorbed it. That's not an option for you and Eddie."

"It's something we'll just have to figure out if we need to," she shrugged, "Hopefully it's a long ways off."

"I should let you get back to work," Justin glanced around the office, "You need some personal touches."

"I'll get around to that one of these days," Charlotte smiled, "I'm glad you stopped by. I've been wanting to see you."

"How about the four of us have dinner this weekend," Justin suggested, "Abby is eager to meet you."

"I'd love that," Charlotte replied, "I'll run it by Eddie. I have one condition though, it's my treat."

"I really should argue with you, but I know how much a Bass likes to get their way," Justin smiled, "You've been taught by the master."

"Darn right," she smiled.

"We'll get Eddie to pick the place," Justin stated, "My little brother knows every great place to eat in New York."

"Good idea," she walked him to the elevator.

"Don't work too hard," Justin pressed the elevator call button.

"I'll try," she gave him a quick hug before he stepped onto the elevator.

On her way back to her office, her coworker, Hannah, pounced on her, "Who's the cutie?"

"Cutie?" Charlotte looked a bit perplexed.

"Yeah, the cutie you were hugging just a few moments ago," Hannah replied.

"Oh, Justin," Charlotte realized, "I've known him since I was born. He's the son of my father's assistant."

"In that case, could you get me an introduction?" Hannah inquired.

"He's married," Charlotte fought to contain a laugh, "Happily and with a baby on the way."

"Too bad," Hannah frowned.

"I've got lots of friends from Columbia," Charlotte offered.

"Really?" Hannah's ears perked right up.

"I'll be sure to introduce you sometime," Charlotte smiled.

"Yes, please," Hannah released a slight giggle.

* * *

"I'm nervous," Charlotte admitted to Eddie on the ride across town to the restaurant he'd selected for the get together with his brother and sister-in-law.

"I don't know why," Eddie brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, "My brother already loves you, and Abby is going to love you."

"What if I say something stupid?" Charlotte asked, "Your sister-in-law is Army. We don't have anything in common."

"You have the Brothers Fraser in common," Eddie reminded her, "Yes, she's Army, but she's more than Army. She's an amazing woman. My brother wouldn't have settled for less, nor will I."

Charlotte snorted in reply.

As they pulled up in front of the restaurant, Charlotte could see Justin already inside checking in at the host stand. Fortunately Charlotte had the foresight to call ahead for a table.

"No matter what happens, it's not going to change how I feel about you," Eddie assured Charlotte as he turned to help her from the cab.

"Thank you for saying that," Charlotte made sure to grasp the baby gift she'd agonized over all afternoon. Thankfully her mother was available to help her pick out the perfect gift at the last minute.

Eddie guided Charlotte into the restaurant. Justin and Abby must have already been seated. A quick glance around confirmed his suspicions. He gave Charlotte's hand a reassuring squeeze and then pulled her towards their table.

"You guys have perfect timing," Abby stated as Eddie leaned down to kiss her cheek as Justin rose to greet Charlotte, "We haven't even had time to put in our drink orders."

"Going for the hard stuff tonight, aren't you, Sis," Eddie teased as he held Charlotte's chair for her.

"Don't you know it," Abby snickered, "Ginger ale, on the rocks."

"Abby, this is Charlotte. Charlotte, this is Abby," Eddie made introductions.

"It's so good to finally meet you," Abby reached across the table to shake Charlotte's hand. "Eddie and Justin have been taking about you for years. It's nice to finally have a face to go with all the stories."

"Oh goodness, that's a lot to live down," Charlotte laughed nervously. "I was such a tagalong when we were younger."

"Yes, you were," Justin snickered. He earned himself a kick in the shin by his wife. He winced in response.

"Justin told me the good news about the baby," Charlotte handed Abby the gift she'd brought along.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that," Abby accepted the bag and looked into it. Inside was a little teddy bear and pink baby blanket.

"You'll probably have tons of both, but my mother said you can never have enough blankets and the teddy bear was too cute to pass up."

Abby pulled the teddy bear from the bag and brought it against her chest to hug. "I completely agree. Thank you."

"I'm such a sucker for stuffed animals," Charlotte admitted, "I could probably fill up an entire closet with just stuffed animals if I tried hard enough."

"Little girls can never have enough stuffed animals," Abby admitted, "Justin and I are both very excited."

"I know Eddie is quite excited to be an uncle," Charlotte glanced towards her boyfriend.

"He's going to spoil our little girl so much," Abby laughed.

"Oh yeah," Charlotte agreed.

The waiter came over to take everyone's drink orders. Charlotte was the last to give her order, a white wine.

"May I see an I.D.?" the server requested.

Charlotte blushed profusely as she produced the requested item. It was a reminder that she stuck out like a sore thumb in their quartet as no one else was asked to produce any identification to prove they were of legal drinking age.

"I wish that still happened to me," Abby tried to ease Charlotte's embarrassment.

"Maybe it would have if you had ordered something alcoholic," Eddie teased.

"I think that might have gotten a few strange looks," Abby rubbed her rounded belly before addressing Charlotte, "So you've had to put up with these two your entire life. You deserve a medal."

"They aren't so bad once you get used to them," Charlotte smirked, "They can be downright charming when they want something."

"Don't I know it," Abby glanced at her husband, "This one tried to charm me the first time we met."

"And she wanted none of it," Justin chuckled, "Took me awhile to wear her down."

"How's that?" Charlotte asked.

"Abigail worked in the post commander's office, and I needed to speak with the commander," Justin replied.

"The post commander did not want to be disturbed, and nothing Justin could say was going to convince me otherwise," Abby smirked.

"It worked out in the end," Justin sent his wife a wink.

"Have you guys talked about baby names yet?" Charlotte asked after they were served their drinks and placed their food orders.

"We've floated around with a few," Abby nodded.

"I suggested Edwina after her doting uncle," Eddie snickered. Charlotte immediately scrunched up her face. "Abby reacted the same way."

"We've settled on Molly for the moment," Abby replied, "We have a few others we like as backups just in case, but right now it's Molly."

"Awe, that's so cute," Charlotte gushed. "Have you guys registered yet for baby gifts?"

"They've only been back in the states for a few weeks, Char," Eddie reminded her.

"But there isn't a moment to spare," Charlotte replied, "I'm sure Eugenia is already planning for your baby shower."

"She's mentioned it once or twice," Justin confirmed.

"Your mother is one of the best party planners in the country," Charlotte stated, "You should have seen some of the miracles she's worked over the nearly thirty years she's worked with my dad."

"Justin's mentioned a couple," Abby replied.

"Did he tell you about the beach she created in my parents' living room?" Charlotte asked.

"No, but I want to hear more," Abby looked sincerely interested. Charlotte spent the better part of their meal regaling Abby of stories of Eugenia and her miracle working ways.

It was obvious to the brothers that even though Abby and Charlotte came from drastically different backgrounds, they would be friends.

"Your dad sounds like quite the romantic," Abby responded after another particular tale was told. "Genie pulls it off quite well, but he certainly thinks up some doozies."

"With my mom, he is," Charlotte confirmed, "He was something quite different before they got together…for Mom he changed his ways. He says it's the best thing he ever did."

"Ready for dessert?" the waiter returned to clear dinner dishes.

"I couldn't eat another bite," Charlotte shook off the offer.

"I'll glance at the menu to see if anything sounds good," Abby rubbed at her belly, "This baby has given me such a sweet tooth."

"My mom said that happened to her when she was pregnant with me," Charlotte replied, "With Brice and Aiden it was salty cravings. With Aiden especially, it was pickles, everyday pickles."

"How far apart are you and your brothers?" Abby asked as one dessert in particular caught her attention. She immediately put in her order when the waiter returned to clear more dishes.

"Brice and I are two years apart, and Aiden came about four years later," Charlotte replied, "He was sort of an oops, but Mom says the best oops ever."

"How was he an oops?" Abby asked.

"They'd decided after Brice that they were done having kids, so Dad agreed to take the necessary steps. However he didn't read the literature he was given by the urologist after he had his vasectomy. He just assumed he could hop right back in the saddle whenever he was ready and everything was good to go. Mom went off her birth control almost immediately after and then nine months later we had Aiden," Charlotte explained.

"A valuable lesson," Abby glanced towards her husband with a snicker, "Something to remember when we decide our family is complete."

"Hopefully after a few more kids," Eddie chimed in, "I want lots of nieces and nephews to spoil."

"We'll give you two or three but that's it," Abby continued to rub her belly.

"How about you, Charlotte?" Justin asked, "Have you ever thought about kids?"

"Yeah, I hope to have at least two," Charlotte nodded, "I haven't given much thought on the when though. I just started my career. It seems a bit soon to ask for maternity leave."

"Your parents started pretty young," Justin recalled.

"Yeah, but that worked for them. I don't know if it will work for me," Charlotte shrugged.

Justin and Eddie traded glances Charlotte didn't know what to make of. Fortunately Abby's dessert arrived just in time to break up what was threatening to be an uncomfortable silence.

"Thanks for dinner," Abby stated as they left the restaurant, "Justin said you insisted on paying. It seems a bit odd to me, but he also said never to argue with a Bass. They're used to getting their own way."

"He's right," Charlotte laughed, "It was so nice to finally get to meet you. I've been hearing about you forever."

"Same here," Abby replied, "I swear between Eddie and Justin, I've heard a million stories about you and your brothers. Justin was always the envy of his unit because he knew such an influential person as your father. I was more excited because of your mother. I love her clothes, even if they're a bit out of my price range."

"Check the vintage stores in Soho," Charlotte suggested, "Somehow a lot of Mom's clothes end up there, gently used."

"That's a good tip," Abby laughed.

"We'd better go," Justin reached out to hail a cab for his wife, "Feels like snow."

"I'm so ready for the first snowfall of the season," Charlotte made sure her scarf was wrapped tight around her neck to block the icy wind whipping around. "The views of snowy Central Park from my building are amazing."

"Yes, they are," Eddie went to hail another cab for he and Charlotte.

While the brothers competed for who would get a cab first, Charlotte and Abby hung back, closer to the restaurant and whatever warmth it provided.

"He's really happy, Charlotte," Abby motioned towards her brother-in-law, currently taking a good ribbing from his brother over some such nonsense, "I've never seen him this happy, even with Heather. Justin and I both knew he was never going to settle down with her."

"I'm happy too," Charlotte smiled.

"We should do this again," Abby caught the twinkle in Charlotte's eyes, "Hopefully before I pop."

"Maybe after Christmas when we've officially told our families," Charlotte suggested, "My brother and his girlfriend will be visiting from France. We should all do something."

"That sounds like fun," Abby nodded, "I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of you."

"I hope so," Charlotte's voice hitched nervously. She wasn't sure was exactly she was nervous about.

She really liked Eddie, and she could see herself getting really serious about him. She thought he was getting quite serious about her too, but she didn't know if she was ready for a death do they part kind of serious. The more Abby talked, the more Charlotte was convinced Eddie was looking to settle down, and Justin's questions about if she wanted kids suddenly took on an entirely different meaning.

The conversation merciful came to a halt when two cabs pulled up at almost the exact same time.

"I'm going to make sure Charlotte gets home alright," Eddie told Justin when he suggested he ride home with him and Abby to save cab fare.

"Sure you are, Brother," Justin snorted, "I'll tell Mom not to wait up."

"I think we're a few years past Mom waiting up for either of us," Eddie scoffed as he held the cab door for Charlotte, "Good night, Justin, Abby."

Charlotte gave them both a quick wave and then ducked into the cab, relieved the night was over and she'd made a favorable impression on Abby. Eddie quickly slid in and gave the driver her address.

"I think if I went home tonight, I might get into a wrestling match with my brother," Eddie spoke as they drove along.

"Why?" Charlotte was completely floored by his statement.

"You and I have been dating for a short time, and he has the nerve to ask if you want children," Eddie replied.

"In fairness to your brother, it was on topic," Charlotte tried to defend Justin.

"It's still not a question he has any right to ask," Eddie took her gloved hand into his, "I certainly never asked Abby if she wanted kids or how many she wanted."

"You did make the comment about them having a bunch of kids," Charlotte reminded him.

"Abby knows I was joking," Eddie replied, "I know they intend of have two, maybe three kids."

"Did it bother you when I said I wasn't ready yet?" Charlotte asked.

"No, of course not," Eddie assured her, "Of course you're going to want to take your time, even after you're married, you might want to wait until your career is further along."

"Are you wanting kids now?" Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "Is that the strange look you and your brother traded during dessert?"

"I'd like to have kids," Eddie replied, "However I think I'm still a ways off from having them. For starters, I'd like to be married first."

"There's that pesky 'm' word again," Charlotte sighed heavily, "Is that where you and I are heading? Is it some race down the aisle?"

"No!" Eddied exclaimed before he took a deep breath to calm himself down, "No."

"No?" Charlotte asked.

"It's not a race," Eddie was quick to correct himself, "God, I really want to hurt my brother for starting all of this."

"Eddie, do you see us getting married and having kids?" she pressed.

"I'd be lying if I said no," he suddenly realized the cab driver was becoming very interested in their converation, "Can we wait to finish this discussion when we get to your place? I don't really want to have a discussion this important in the back of a cab."

"Yeah, okay," Charlotte agreed.

* * *

Once comfortable in Charlotte's living room, they immediately pick up on their cab ride conversation.

"So you've imagined us getting married and having kids," Charlotte stated.

"Yes," was his simple response, "Charlotte, I'm almost thirty. A lot of my friends are settling down and having kids. It's only natural to look at my life and my current relationship to examine if what we have has that kind of potential."

"So you think we have that kind of potential," Charlotte stated.

"Don't you?" he asked.

"I guess I haven't looked at it the same way," she replied, "I really like you, Eddie, and yes, what is going on between us feels quite serious…"

"But," he prompted her when she trailed off.

"Marriage doesn't feel…or rather it does feel…" she groaned in frustration as she couldn't quite express herself the way she wanted to. "I don't know if I'm ready to have marriage in my near future or even a year or two down the road future."

There was a pronounced silence between them.

"Maybe this age difference is more of an issue than we originally thought," Charlotte felt herself getting choked up.

Eddie was about to speak when the elevator chimed the arrival of an unannounced guest.

"Who could that be?" Charlotte looked as confused as Eddie before she rose from her seat to go to the elevator. Eddie was quick to follow. With all of the security in Charlotte's building, there should have been no unannounced visitors.

"Devon!" Charlotte gasped in surprise when her ex-boyfriend stepped off the elevator.

"Hey, Char Bear," Devon greeted her with a smile, the kind Eddie instantly disliked. It was the kind of smile Eddie could tell had been perfected by looking at himself in the mirror an awful lot. Devon's entire appearance appeared like he spent a lot of time looking in the mirror. Every hair was perfectly in place. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Charlotte responded dutifully, "What are you doing back in New York? I thought you were living the sunshine life in California."

"I couldn't tolerate those phony talents for one more minute," he replied, "No one takes their craft seriously out there. Everyone I met was just expecting to be handed their big break because they were attractive. I don't want to earn my career that way. I want to be taken seriously."

"So you're doing what?" Charlotte was taken aback by his response. For as long as she'd known him, he'd always talked about making his home permanently in California.

"Broadway," Devon stated, "My agent thinks he can get me some auditions for Broadway or at least something moving towards Broadway."

"Oh, wow," Charlotte was flummoxed by his response. He'd never once talked about Broadway in all the years they were together. "So…oh, sorry, I should introduce you two…Eddie, this is my ex, Devon. Devon, this is my…boyfriend, Eddie." She felt awkward for calling Eddie her boyfriend. It felt like such an immature reference, even though it was exactly what he was.

"You look familiar," Devon extended his hand.

"Eddie works for Bass," Charlotte explained, "You probably saw him during the Bass Charity Christmas Galas you attended with me."

"Yeah, maybe that's it," Devon replied, "Good to meet you."

"You too," Eddie shook his hand a bit firmer than he would usually.

"I…ah…didn't know you had…company," Devon's confidence was suddenly shaken.

It was as Devon spoke that Charlotte realized he brought luggage with him.

"Did you just get back to New York?" Charlotte motioned towards the bag slung over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess I should have called first," Devon's cheeks began to crimson, "I was sort of hoping I could stay with you a couple of days. My family left the area a few months back, so I can't stay with them. All my frat buddies are living in tiny one bedroom apartments with like five other guys. You're the only one I thought might have room."

"Yeah, sure, of course you can stay for a few days," Charlotte agreed without giving the idea much thought.

"Char," Eddie gasped softly.

"It's just for a few days," Charlotte gave him a confident smile, "I'm sure it won't take you long to get yourself squared away, right, Devon."

"A few days," Devon quickly agreed, "A week at most."

"I'll have Daniella make up a guest room for you," Charlotte turned abruptly to leave the entryway, leaving Devon and Eddie to stare each other down.

"So…you're the new boyfriend," Devon spoke to break the unbearable tension.

"And you're the ex-boyfriend," Eddie crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Charlotte is such a great girl," Devon rocked nervously on the heels of his feet, "She's always willing to help out a friend in need."

"She is a _woman_ with a generous heart," Eddie felt the need to emphasize he saw her as a woman and not as a girl.

"How long have you been dating?" Devon switched his backpack from one shoulder to the other.

"A few months," Eddie replied, "But I've know Charlotte for years…decades actually. My mom is Mister Bass's assistant."

"Get out, you're Eunice's son…" Devon stated.

"Eugenia," Eddie corrected him.

"God, I thought you'd be older, like fifty or something," Devon replied, "She's been working for Mister Bass for like ever."

"Since Chuck started as CEO," Eddie confirmed. Again he felt the need to point out he had the privilege of calling Charlotte's father by his first name, which was obviously a privilege Devon had never earned.

"She sounds like such a kick," Devon stated, "Char Bear was always telling stories about her."

"My mom is an amazing woman," Eddie replied.

"Daniella is working on your room right now," Charlotte returned the entryway, "Are you hungry? Did you get a chance to eat anything on the plane?"

"I grabbed a slice of pizza on the way here," Devon replied, "Nothing tastes as good as New York City pizza."

"Daniella should have your room ready in a few minutes. You can wait in the living area," Charlotte motioned him further into her home, "Eddie and I are about ready to turn in for the night, but before we do can I get you anything?"

"Yeah, a guide map of this place," Devon glanced around, "This place is awesome, Char Bear."

"That's right, you didn't get to see it up close because you were on a flight to California three hours after our graduation ceremony," Charlotte stated. Eddie thought he heard a slight edge in her words.

"I had an audition the next day," Devon replied, "You were okay with it when I left."

"And I'm okay with it now," Charlotte reached for Eddie's hand, "I'll give you the tour tomorrow. Daniella will come get you when the room is ready. Good night, Devon."

"Nite, Char," Devon called after her.

* * *

Charlotte was muttered under her breath when she disappeared into her closet to change into her pajamas.

Eddie took those moments to change into his pajamas as well. He was sitting at the end of the bed when she emerged.

"You could have said no," Eddie translated her anger towards her ex.

"And have him sleeping out in the cold, I'm not that kind of person," Charlotte replied, "He has always had the worst timing. You and I were having a pretty important conversation about us, and he has to barge in and practically demand a place to sleep."

"We need to finish our conversation," Eddie patted the space next to him.

"Yeah," Charlotte took a seat next to him, "I don't want to stop seeing you. I really care for you, and I think what we have is really good…"

"It is," Eddie agreed.

"What do we do?" Charlotte asked.

"I don't know," he admitted, "We can't just ignore the fact that we want different things."

"I think we want the same things, just on a different timeline," Charlotte replied.

"This isn't something we need to settle right now," he took her hand and brought it to his lips.

"Is it wise to let an issue like this simmer?" she asked, "My parents always work through their disagreement as they happen. Mom says bad things happen in a relationship when issues are allowed to fester."

"I really want to see where things go with us," he took a few moments to kiss each hand and then leaned in to kiss her cheeks.

"Me too," she nodded slightly.

"We don't need to rush into anything," he assured her, "I'm not asking for a death due us part commitment right this moment or even six months down the road."

"And maybe six months down the road I might feel more settled at work, and the marriage and kids thing won't seem as far off as it does right now," Charlotte stroked his chin lightly.

"We'll figure things out."

"I hope so," she sought his lips.

Eddie pulled on her hands lightly and guided her to bed.

"This is the best relationship I've ever had," Charlotte wrapped her arms around his neck.

"For me too," he angled his head so he could press his lips to hers.

"I really wish my ex-boyfriend wasn't right down the hall right now," she broke away and pressed her forehead against his. Even a simple kiss had igniting the flame.

"You did say his timing was horrible," he chuckled.

"I'm going to go kick him out right now," she released a slightly amused whine.

"We have all the time in the world," he cupped her cheeks and brought his lips against hers again.

Charlotte nodded and turned to pull back the covers of the bed. Then she climbed into bed and patted the space next to her in invitation.

"You're bed is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in," Eddie told her as he climbed in beside her and allowed her to curl into him as was becoming their routine.

"We'll have to thank my dad," Charlotte giggled softly, "Because of his connections through the hotel empire, he's got a great guy who makes custom beds for our family."

"Of course he has a hand it in," Eddie tangled his fingers into hers, "How about we keep my enjoyment of this bed to ourselves for the time being?"

"Are you scared of my dad?" Charlotte teased.

"Not of him per say, more of what his reaction will be when he finds out you and I are spending our nights together," he pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Good night, Eddie," she smiled.

"Night, Charlotte," he replied.

 **TBC…**

 **To those of you who celebrate - Merry Christmas.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Waking early in the morning to the feel of Eddie's arms around her, Charlotte felt so much happiness and contentment. Eddie was still sound asleep. She usually waited for him to wake up on weekends so they could have breakfast together, but this morning she had something she needed to do first. Charlotte slipped out of bed taking care not to wake the man still sleeping soundly and dressed for the day.

"Good morning, Char Bear," Devon greeted her in the dining room, purposing using his nickname for her. He wanted to reminder her of the good times and feelings they had together.

"Still an infuriating morning person," Charlotte greeted her houseguest, groaning internally at the nickname. She'd always hated it but never said anything. It made her feel like a little girl each time he spoke it. "Good morning, Devon."

"It's made easy when the bed is so comfortable," Devon replied, "And your housekeeper, Daniella, she's almost as efficient as Dorota."

"I got pretty lucky," Charlotte agreed when Daniella entered with her morning coffee, "Thanks, Dani."

"Is Mister Fraser awake as well?" Daniella asked.

"Not yet," Charlotte shook her head, "He's been working long hours for the last few weeks. I wanted to let him sleep."

"Should I wait to start breakfast?" Daniella asked.

"Yes, please," Charlotte nodded. Daniella nodded and made herself scarce until needed.

"I'm surprised you're in something so serious already," Devon spoke once they were alone. "I mean we just broke up a few months ago, and it seems serious, especially if he's spending the night right under your father's nose. Dude must have a death wish."

"The dude has a name," Charlotte reminded him.

"Right, Edmond," Devon rolled his eyes slightly.

"Eddie," Charlotte corrected him, "He's a great man. You have zero claim over me. We'd been broken up for three months before Eddie and I started dating."

"He seems a bit old for you," Devon snorted. "How old is he anyways? Thirty-five, forty."

"He's nearly thirty," Charlotte responded calmly as she took her seat at the table.

"Can't he find someone his own age?" Devon asked.

"What's your play here, Devon?" Charlotte refused to be sucked into a debate about her relationship with Eddie. "Why are you really back in New York?"

"I told you last night," Devon began.

"You told me last night you basically abandoned your dreams after only a few months," Charlotte explained, "That doesn't sound like Devon I knew."

Devon stared her down for a minute before his eyes softened, "L.A. life was harder than I thought it was going to be. I…uh…wasn't being completely honest with you before. I wasn't getting parts. I was barely getting auditions. I was waiting tables seven days a week and barely making rent in the grungy apartment I was living in. I blew through nearly every penny of my savings. I barely had enough for the plane ticket back to New York. I couldn't do it anymore."

"I'm sorry thing were so tough for you, Devon, but it doesn't explain why you're back in New York, especially when you said your parents left the area," Charlotte replied.

"I wasn't lying last night when I said I missed you," Devon admitted, "I really missed you, and I was hoping…"

"Stop right there," Charlotte replied, "You and me getting back together is not going to happen."

"Because of Captain America?" Devon motioned in the direction of Charlotte's bedroom.

"Because you and I are going in different directions, we always have been," Charlotte stated, "You want a woman who will be at your side, opening night with flashbulbs going off for some big movie premiere, someone only to happy to let you take the center stage. That's not going to be me. You're never going to be the center of attention with me on your arm because of my last name."

"That's not fair," Devon responded.

"What do you want from me?" Charlotte asked, "I can't help you with your acting career. You and me are not happening again ever, so what do you want?"

"A friend," Devon choked out.

Charlotte watched her ex fight away tears.

"Okay," Charlotte relented, "You can stay until you get on your feet, but I will not allow you to make Eddie feel uncomfortable. He's important to me. If you do anything to jeopardize my relationship with him, I'm booting you out on your ass. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Devon bobbed his head.

"I mean it, Devon," Charlotte stared him down for a few moments, "Any whiff of manipulation or attempts to make Eddie feel unwelcome in my house, and you're out the door. I don't owe you anything. I'm doing you a favor."

"And I appreciate it more than you know," Devon replied.

"Talk is cheap, Devon," Charlotte sent him a cautious look. "Don't make me regret this."

"You won't," Devon gave her a jubilant smile.

The pair were reminiscing about old times when Eddie emerged from the bedroom a short while later.

"Good morning, Sleepyhead," Charlotte gave Eddie an adoring smile as he bent in for a good morning kiss.

"What time is it?" Eddie asked as Daniella came in with his coffee.

"Nearly ten," Charlotte glanced at her watch, "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to sleep the day away."

"I guess I was more tired than I thought," he felt himself blush a bit in embarrassment.

"I'd say you've earned a bit of rest. You've been working crazy hours lately," Charlotte replied.

"Good morning, Eddie," Devon nodded.

"Morning," Eddie gave a polite nod as he sipped at his coffee.

"What are your plans for today?" Charlotte asked.

"Justin and I are doing some holiday shopping," Eddie replied, "I can reschedule if you have something else in mind."

"No, that's actually perfect," Charlotte replied. "I'm so far behind on my holiday shopping as it is, and you're number one on my list of people to shop for."

"You don't need to go crazy on me," Eddie reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Right back at you," she smiled, "But I do need to get you something, and to do that I need to go shopping. I'm going to see if any of my friends are available for a shopping marathon."

"Sounds like fun," Eddie smiled.

"It will be for the shop owners," Devon chimed in.

Charlotte sent a scowl in Devon's direction as Daniella brought in breakfast. The young man appeared to shrink in his seat, which Eddie found quite gratifying.

* * *

Eddie returned to Charlotte's penthouse from his afternoon spent with his brother to the sounds of laughter coming from the dining room. He found Charlotte and Devon looking through something resembling a photo album.

"Hey, Babe," Charlotte rose from her chair to greet him with a kiss and a hug, "How was your afternoon with your brother? Did you get your shopping done?"

"I got a fairly good start," he replied, "How was your day?"

"So much fun," Charlotte ran her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck, "We met up with some of our friends from Columbia. The boys went one way, the girls went the other and then we all met for a late lunch. Major damage was done with my credit card. I think Daddy's business manager will be calling me about some suspicious activity on my card."

"Is that so?" he chuckled, "Did you make any progress on your list?"

"I did," she confirmed, "You, Mister Fraser, are going to have a very good Christmas."

"Of course I will," he smiled, "I get to spend it with you and our families."

"Oh, before I forget, I talked to my mom today," Charlotte added, "Apparently either she or your mother had the brilliant idea of us spending Christmas day together, all our families. Your sister-in-law is so excited to finally be meeting my mom."

"I bet she is," Eddie chuckled.

"Mom and I are meeting with decorators this week to get a plan for holiday decorations for the penthouse, and Brice and Collette will be arriving next week after their classes have ended for the term with Barty. This is going to be a full penthouse," she was practically glowing with excitement, "Mom's favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving, but mine is definitely Christmas, and I think this might be my favorite one ever."

"What's going on in here?" Eddie motioned to were Devon was sitting, very much feeling like the third wheel at the moment.

"Oh, we pulled out a scrapbook my sorority sisters and I made junior year," Charlotte pulled him towards the table, "It was a cheesy thing we did every year towards the end of term just before finals. It was a way to capture the memories we'd made throughout the year. My sorority sister, Janelle, was talking about the spring production of 'Singin' in the Rain' the theater department did. Devon and I were feeling a bit nostalgic when we got back to the penthouse, so I pulled out my book. I have loads of pictures in here from the production."

"I wished I could have seen it," Eddie flipped through a few of the pages.

"Oh my god, it was so awful. I had to sing a solo. I thought for sure I was going to send the audience running for the hills," Charlotte felt herself blushing.

"You did great," Devon chimed in, "You brought down the house every night."

Charlotte rolled her eyes in reply. "We're meeting everyone at a club later on. Did you want to join us?"

"Me?" Eddie coughed out in surprise.

"Yeah," Charlotte nodded, "We haven't all gotten together since graduation. We thought it was time we did. Everyone's significant other is invited, at least those that have them."

"Wow, I don't know about that," Eddie responded after a moment of thought, "The club scene isn't really for me, and I've got some work to do."

"Oh," Charlotte frowned, "Yeah, you have been pretty busy. I didn't even think about that. I can skip it."

"No, don't," Eddie told her, "Go have fun with your friends. I'll just head back to my parents' place and get to work."

"If you have your work here, you could always do it in my office," Charlotte suggested, "It will be loads quieter here than at your parents' place with your parents, Justin and Abigail milling around."

"You wouldn't mind?" he raised a curious brow.

"Not at all," she shook her head, "When I get back from the club we can still be bed buddies."

"I do like the sound of that," Eddie smiled, "Alright, I'll stay."

"Good," Charlotte hugged him, "Have you eaten? I can have Dani make us something before Devon and I head out."

"I can find myself dinner," Eddie assured her, "Go have fun."

"You're the best," she kissed his cheek and then ran off to get ready for the night out.

Eddie and Devon engaged in some weird sort of staring contest until Devon wilted under Eddie's intense stare and darted off to get himself ready to head out.

* * *

Eddie was hard at work at the dining room table an hour after Charlotte and Devon left for the club when the elevator chimed, though he was too engrossed in his work to hear it. He was startled when Blair happened upon him, his head buried in his work.

"Working hard I see, Mister Fraser," Blair glanced over his shoulder at the paperwork spread out on the table.

"Oh, Mrs. Bass, I didn't hear you come in," Eddie nearly leapt out of his chair.

"Yes, I can see that, and I've asked you repeatedly to call me, Blair," Blair motioned towards his mounds of paperwork, "Is the big boss working you too hard these days?"

"No harder than he works himself," Eddie rose from his chair.

"I came down to see if Charlotte wanted to join us for dessert," Blair replied, "Dorota just got back from her trip and was eager to do some baking. I think she forgot there are only really two people to serve anymore since Aiden is always running around with his CIA friends."

"Charlotte went out with some friends," Eddie replied, "She said it was alright for me to stay here to get some work done."

"I imagine it's quieter here than with everyone at your parents' place," Blair concluded.

"Much quieter," Eddie nodded.

"Did you want a bit of a sugar rush to help you focus?" Blair offered, "There is more than enough."

"I could use a bit of a break," Eddie followed Blair to the elevator and up to their penthouse.

"Chuck, you need to stop being such a hard ass with your staff," Blair scolded her husband when the pair entered the dining room where her husband was already helping himself to some dessert.

"And why is that?" Chuck rose to his feet to shake Eddie's hand.

"I caught this young man buried in a mound of paperwork on a Saturday night," Blair motioned towards Eddie, "He doesn't even have time to take his girlfriend out for a night on the town."

"It was self inflicted tonight," Eddie tried to smooth things over, "I just want to get things done before the office shuts down for the holidays."

"Nonsense," Blair scoffed, "You should still be able to maintain a work life balance."

"Honestly I wanted an excuse tonight," Eddie admitted as Chuck motioned for him to take a seat and help himself to some dessert.

"Oh?" Blair raised a curious brow.

"Charlotte and her friends wanted to go clubbing," Eddie explained, "It's never really been my scene, and I didn't want to be the stick in the mud dragging the evening down."

"To be twenty-three again," Blair sighed, "I remember those days, sort of."

"There are times where our age difference sort of creeps up on us," Eddie admitted.

Blair could hear Chuck muttering under his breath, but she did her best to keep the young Fraser from hearing it. "I imagine at times it can seem like six years is a lifetime of difference, but it's really not."

"Most of the time it doesn't matter to me at all, but seeing her with her friend, Devon, it's really hit me," he admitted.

"Devon," Chuck choked on his dessert, "He's in town."

"Arrived last night," Eddie confirmed.

"You didn't know?" Blair looked as surprised as her husband to hear Charlotte's ex-boyfriend was back in New York.

"He just showed up last night when I brought Charlotte home after having dinner with my brother and sister-in-law. He needed a place to stay, so she let him bunk in one of her guest room," Eddie explained.

Chuck choked on another bit of his dessert.

"Oh goodness," Blair traded looks of concern with her husband.

"Charlotte wasn't all together thrilled by his return, but he apparently didn't have anywhere else to go," Eddie explained.

"I'll take care of him," Chuck told his wife.

"What is there to take care of?" Eddie was surprised by Chuck's response.

"There is a bit of a story with Devon which Charlotte doesn't know anything about," Blair admitted.

"I don't understand," Eddie was extremely confused by her vague response.

"Devon's family left New York under less than ideal circumstances," Blair chose her words carefully, "Chuck did what he could to protect Charlotte."

"What kind of circumstances are we talking?" Eddie was suddenly greatly concerned for Charlotte's safety.

"Let's just say Devon's family didn't exactly make their money the ethical way," Chuck responded.

"And Devon?" Eddie asked.

"Wasn't aware of his family's endeavors, as far as we can tell," Blair chimed in, "Until recently."

"I don't understand," Eddie looked even more perplexed, "Devon said his family moved out of the city."

"Well," Blair looked to her husband for guidance of how to respond.

"Devon's family ran just before they were indicted," Chuck responded, "Last update I had on them, they'd settled in Brazil. There has been limited contact with their son, no assistance financially."

"He wouldn't try to hit Charlotte up for money, would he?" Blair thought out loud.

"I wouldn't think so, but this situation deserves a bit of monitoring," Chuck left the room abruptly.

"Calling his P.I.?" Eddie asked.

"Most likely," Blair served Eddie a piece of the dessert their housekeeper had baked and did her best to change the subject from the heaviness of a few moments ago. "Your mother is beyond thrilled to have her family all back in New York at the same time."

"I'm enjoying it too," Eddie nodded, "It's a bit crowded at my folks place right now, but we're surviving. Justin and Abigail are looking for a more permanent place to live, but they don't really want to make any moves during the holidays."

"I imagine your parents' home is bursting at the seams," Blair smiled, "How about you? Are you looking to move out of your parents home?"

"I've been considering it. Before I moved to London, I was living with one of my fraternity brothers, but he's married now. It would be hard to live with a roommate again after having a flat all to myself in London. I grew accustom to it," Eddie admitted.

"Do you miss London?" Blair asked.

"Not really," Eddie shook his head, "I liked it enough, but New York is home."

"I couldn't imagine living anywhere else," Blair smiled, "Especially at Christmas time. This city just seems to come alive with festivities."

"I'm looking forward to restarting some family holiday traditions," Eddie agreed, "Charlotte mentioned you were going to meet with a decorator."

"She's always loved this holiday. It's her favorite time of the year," Blair felt a laugh bubble to the surface, "As a child, her father took great pleasure in spoiling her and her brothers."

"I remember how elaborate the decorations were," Eddie recalled, "It was quite the wonderland."

"I guess I started the tradition," Blair smiled at the memories, "Chuck simply amplified it after Charlotte was born."

"Charlotte's home is going to turn into a wonderland, isn't it?" Eddie chuckled.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure she's going to go all out," Blair nodded as Chuck returned to the dining room to finish his dessert. "Everything all right, Handsome?"

"I have my P.I. digging into Mister Hendrick's movements and potential intentions," Chuck picked up his utensil and resumed eating his sweet treat.

"Thank you for letting us know about Devon's return," Blair smiled.

"Charlotte never mentioned anything about Devon's family," Eddie admitted.

"She only met them a handful of times," Blair replied, "Charlotte always made it sound like Devon wasn't all close with his parents. We made sure she was insulated from their life."

Eddie nodded in understanding.

* * *

"You're still awake," Charlotte was surprised to enter her bedroom to see Eddie laying in bed with a file folder in his hands.

"I had a few more pages I wanted to get through before I turned in," he glanced up, "How was your night out with your friend?"

"So much fun," Charlotte crawled onto the bed to sit next to Eddie, "My friend, Ella, and her boyfriend announced their engagement. It seems so crazy to think of one of my friends getting married already."

"Have they been together long?" Eddie wrapped an arm around Charlotte's shoulders as she snuggled against him.

"Less than a year," Charlotte shrugged, "I had no idea they were even that serious, but they seem really happy."

"Are you okay?" Eddie felt her tense slightly.

"A bit jealous, I guess," she admitted, "I didn't think any of my friends would get married for a couple of years, and here Ella is on the verge of walking down the aisle. It just feels a bit surreal."

"I know the feeling. When my first friend got married, it felt more like an elaborate excuse to play dress up rather than the life committing ceremony it actually was," Eddie caressed her shoulder lightly.

"That's exactly it," Charlotte nodded, "Marriage is such an adult decision to make. How does anyone know when they're ready to commit to someone for a lifetime? I feel like I'm still trying to figure my life out."

"Take your time," he missed her temple, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," she caressed his chin.

"Your mom caught me hard at work this evening," Eddie admitted.

"Oh no," Charlotte gasped, "Was she mad?"

"She didn't seem to be," Eddie shook his head slightly, "She invited me up for some dessert with her and your dad."

"Mom knows you've been spending the night," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "Dad's not nearly as clueless as he seems. Maybe he's really okay with us having sleep overs."

"Or maybe he's operating under 'ignorance is bliss'," Eddie replied.

"They want me to be happy," Charlotte stated, "You make me happy."

"Before your day gets booked tomorrow, how about you and I spend the day together," he suggested.

"I'd like that," Charlotte nodded, "I'm going to change out of my club clothes."

"You're back earlier than I thought," he glanced at the clock.

"A few of my friends had to work tomorrow, so they weren't able to stay out super late. A couple others had to be up for church," Charlotte explained, "It worked out well. I didn't want to stay out too late, especially since you didn't join us. A few of them stayed."

"Is Devon one of them?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah," Charlotte nodded, "He seemed to have a lot of steam to blow off especially with everyone else paying his tab."

"Has he told you why he's back?" Eddie inquired. Her parents warnings from earlier still rang in his ears.

"Sounds like things didn't work out in L.A. like he had hoped," Charlotte replied, "I think he wanted to go somewhere familiar, somewhere he had friends…"

"And a woman he thought might be unattached," Eddie added.

"Yeah," Charlotte confirmed, "Even if you and I weren't together I still wouldn't have gotten back together with him. We're going in separate directions. It was okay when we were in college, but he wanted me to be someone else, someone content to be on his arm as he rose to stardom."

"Are you sure about that?" he pressed.

"One hundred percent," Charlotte didn't even hesitate with her response, "Devon is part of my past. Honestly I was going to end things with him after graduation even if he hadn't left for L.A."

"Then your reaction last night when he arrived about him leaving right after graduation," Eddie was mildly confused.

"He just left without even a goodbye. We broke up via text message. That's not how I wanted to end things," Charlotte sighed, "He was important to me. I gave him my virginity for crying out loud. I wanted to end things the right way."

"I can understand that," Eddie replied, "When I ended things with Heather, I made sure to do it face to face. It wasn't pleasant, but it was the right way to go about it. I'm sorry I'm bringing all this up. It's really not my business."

"You just want to make sure things are done between me and Devon," Charlotte caressed his chest, "I promise they are. I want to help him get back on his feet because it's the right thing to do, but he's not who I want to be with. You are."

"I'm glad to hear that," Eddie released a shaky breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding in.

"Were you jealous?" Charlotte suddenly realized.

"Maybe a little," Eddie admitted, "You share a history, and like you said, you were close. As much as I don't want our age difference to be an issue, when things like you going out with your friends happen…I'm not a part of that. It wouldn't have felt right tagging along."

"Honestly, as fun as it was, it felt a bit like the final hurrah," she admitted, "We're all going different directions. It's going to be hard to all get together like we did in college, and honestly, I'm okay with that. College was great, but it's over now."

Eddie nodded in understanding as Charlotte climbed off the bed and headed into her closet to change out of her club clothes. When she returned, Eddie had cast aside his file folder and was anxiously waiting for her to rejoin him.

"You know what I was most looking forward to tonight," Charlotte told him when she climbed back into bed.

"What's that?" Eddie wrapped her in his arms.

"Coming home to you," she rose up so she could press her lips to his.

 **TBC…**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Charlotte was buried in paperwork in her office, yet she continued to glance at her watch every five minutes. Her brother, Brice, and his girlfriend were supposed to arrive In New York City almost an hour ago. They'd promised to call the minute the Bass jet landed on American soil. She hoped they hadn't been delayed in leaving France.

She was more excited for his arrival this year than she'd been in any year since he'd moved to France. Of course, he visited as often as his school schedule allowed, but she missed him terribly. They'd always been close, but the distance and time difference was tricky to navigate. They didn't converse nearly as much as they would have liked.

She frowned at the time on her watch as it was only three minutes since she'd previously checked. She mentally cursed herself for her inability to focus on her work. She had a deadline rapidly approaching, and the office would be shutting down a few days before Christmas for the holidays. She had to get her work done to allow her manager the necessary time to review her reports.

Finally finding a burst of time to concentrate, she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"That looks like Charlotte Waldorf-Bass with her head buried in paperwork," a familiar voice cut through Charlotte's concentrate.

"Brice!" Charlotte shrieked as she ran around her desk to engulf her brother in a hug, "What are you doing here? You were supposed to call when you landed."

"This way is more fun," he released her to take in the surroundings of her office. The walls were still mostly bare and aside from the picture of her family on the bookcase, there were zero personal touches to her office, "I'm surprised Mom hasn't hired a decorator to do your office."

"I'm sure she's been tempted," Charlotte laughed, "When did you get in?"

"About an hour ago," he claimed her seat behind her desk.

"Hey, nuh-uh, you haven't earned that desk," she gave him a playful shove, "Where's Collette?"

"She went to see her mother," Brice refused to budge from his seat, "This is a comfortable chair. Maybe I should get me one of these."

"I don't think Dad has expanded the empire into the wine making business," Charlotte teased, "Now get up before I call security."

"Yet," Brice snorted before finally relented her chair to her, "Have you eaten? Dad suggested we could order some Chinese and have a quick bite, just the three of us…unless you already have plans."

"Nope, I'm free of plans," Charlotte shook her head. She'd told Eddie breakfast that she was hoping to take her brother to lunch if he arrived in time. He had made plans to eat with another colleague.

"Are you hungry?" Brice asked, "I've been craving good Chinese food for months."

"I can eat," she linked her arm with his and walked them to the elevator. She badged them both up to the executive level where Eugenia greeted Brice with a warm hug.

"Lunch is waiting for you in your father's office. He's just finishing up with a meeting in the conference room. He won't be more than ten minutes," Eugenia told the duo, "He said not to wait for him to start eating."

Brother and sister were catching up on their lives when Chuck entered his office. "This looks like trouble," Chuck had already shed his jacket and was rolling up his sleeves before his oldest two children even noticed his presence.

"Hey, Dad," Brice rose to his feet and gave his father a hug.

"How was the flight?" Chuck kissed the top of his daughter's head before taking a seat and helping himself to some lunch.

"Smooth as always," Brice dished out more fried rice onto his plate.

"And where is Ms. Lafonte?" Chuck referenced his son's long-term girlfriend.

"She went to see her mom," Brice responded before stuffing a bite of chicken into his mouth.

"And Barty?" Charlotte asked, "If you left him in France, I'm uninviting you to stay with me."

"Arthur brought him to your place already," Brice assured her, "He seems happy to be home. Collette and I will be taking him for a walk in the park after lunch."

"How's school?" Charlotte asked him.

"Funny you should mention it," Brice began with a nervous hitch in his throat.

Charlotte gave him a look of total bewilderment. He couldn't have possibly flunked out. He'd been getting straight A's in all of his classes since kindergarten. Though she hated to admit it, he was way smarter than she was.

"With my summer courses and internship credits, I had enough to graduate this term," Brice cleared his throat.

"Holy crap, Brice, that's like a year and half early!" Charlotte gasped, "Why didn't you tell anyone until now?"

"The ceremony won't be until the spring," Brice told her, "Collette still has the one term left, so for the next several months we'll be doing the long distance relationship."

"What? Why?" Charlotte was completely shocked by her brother's announcement, yet her father looked the picture of calm.

"I'm moving back to New York," Brice explained, "Lettie will be joining me when she finished."

"What?" Charlotte sputtered before turning towards her father, "Did you know about this?"

"I did," Chuck gave an amused chuckle, "The part about moving back to New York is being kept under wraps until Christmas. It's part of your mother's gift."

"So what will you be doing?" Charlotte asked, "Last I checked, there were no vineyards in the city."

"I'm joining a wine brokerage firm," Brice replied, "I'll be the exclusive representative of Grandpere's vineyard. He and Roman have decided it is time to expand the brand, and I will be the liaison between their vineyards and the retail shops here in the states."

"Sounds like the perfect job for you," Charlotte was up off her chair to hug her brother, "It will be so great having you back in the city, but are you sure this is what you want?"

"Collette and I have been discussing our plans for a couple of years. We both agreed New York is our home. Her father was the only reason we stayed in France as long as we did. With her schooling nearly done, there is nothing her father can do to keep her there," Brice stated.

"Finally standing up to that jerk," Charlotte spoke before she could censor her words. She looked appropriately chagrin once she realized her words were spoken out loud.

"We're finally able to," Brice responded with a chuckle, "As generous as Dad's offer was to pay for Collette's education, she didn't feel comfortable taking his offer back then. With our relationship a bit more solidified, we're able to do as we wish."

"So when's the wedding," she teased.

"Very funny," Brice glared at her, "Speaking of significant others. How about we talk about your love life and this mystery man you're dating? Does Dad know you're seeing someone?"

"He does," Chuck chimed in.

"He even knows who it is," Charlotte stuck her tongue out at her brother like she used to when they were kids trying to get the other sibling in trouble.

"You told Dad before you told me and Aiden," Brice nearly choked on his rice. "Is the poor guy still breathing?"

"He is," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Daddy even likes him…don't you Dad?"

"As much as I could ever like anyone dating my daughter," Chuck stuffed another bite of chicken into his mouth.

"Wow, that's high praise coming from you, Dad," Brice snorted, "What did the guy do to earn such a compliment? I figured you'd only ever say that about someone like Eugenia's sons."

It was Charlotte's turn to choke on her food.

It took Brice a few moments to understand Charlotte's reaction. "Wait, Justin's married, so you and Eddie?"

Charlotte flirted for a moment with telling Brice a lie, but he was going to find out in a week anyways. She could only manage to bob her head as she reached for her glass of water to take a sip.

"You and Eddie?" Brice repeated, his voice rising an octave above normal.

"Kinda," Charlotte replied.

Chuck hid a laugh behind a well-timed cough. Brice's reaction was in line with how he usually reacted to Charlotte's dates.

"Kinda?" Brice scowled at his sister, "How do you kinda date Eddie Fraser?"

"It just sort of happened," Charlotte replied, "We started spending time together. One thing led to another, and now we're dating."

"And Dad knows," Brice looked towards his father, "Have you thought about how complicated and awkward this will be for your family, for his family?"

"Do you really think Eddie and I would be so careless?" Charlotte scowled at him, "Yes, we know the risks, but we're willing to take them because we both think there could be something great between us."

"He's like ten years older than you," Brice countered.

"It's six and a half actually, and so what if he is a bit older. It doesn't bother me, and it doesn't bother Eddie. Why the heck should it bother you?" Charlotte was suddenly up off her chair and bolting from the office.

"Why are you just sitting there so calm?" Brice turned towards his father, "You're usually freaking out when Charlotte's dating someone seriously."

"She's happy, Brice," Chuck responded, "You've been away for a few years, so maybe you can't see it, but she's as happy as I've ever seen her."

"Dad…" Brice began.

"Mister Fraser is a good guy," Chuck interrupted his son, "While no one will ever be good enough for my daughter, he's about as close as they come."

"Is this thing between Charlotte and Eddie really serious?" Brice asked.

"Yes," Chuck bobbed his head, "As much as I want to step in and drive Mister Fraser away, I also want Charlotte to have the happiness I have with your mother. This is the first time I've ever seen it as a possibility for your sister. I'd be a fool to ruin that for her, just as I would have been to step in a few years ago with you."

"Why did you do that, Dad?" Brice asked, "You just let me move across the ocean four years ago when I was in high school to follow the woman I love."

"Do you still love Ms. Lafonte?" Chuck asked.

"More than I did four years ago," Brice confirmed.

"Charlotte was one hundred percent supportive of your decision to move to France. The least you could do would be supportive in her own romantic endeavors," Chuck told his son.

"I need to apologize, don't I," Brice frowned.

"It is the adult thing to do," Chuck patted his son's shoulder.

Brice set aside his lunch and made his way towards the elevator. When he found Charlotte in her office, her head was down as if she was concentrating on her work, but Brice could tell she wasn't focused.

"Char," Brice knocked at her door.

"Go away, Brice," Charlotte wiped at her eyes, "I have lots of work to do before the holidays."

"Char," Brice tried again as he closed the door, "I'm sorry. You caught me off guard."

"You did to," she wiped at her eyes again but refused to look up, "I thought you'd be my supportive little brother, not questioning who I'm dating. And by the way, my relationship with Eddie is the best, most supportive one I've ever had."

"I'm sorry," Brice took a seat in one of her chairs, "You've always been the best big sister…well except for when we were little kids and you were always torturing me."

"You gave as good as you got," Charlotte shot him a look.

"The point is, you've been so supportive of me and Collette. It was you who got Mom and Dad on board with me moving to France to be with her. The least I can do is be supportive of you and Eddie," he replied.

"You're right, it is the least you can do," Charlotte hissed.

"I want a do over," Brice demanded.

"A do over?" Charlotte snorted.

"Yeah, I want you to tell me about Eddie, and I'll get the reaction right this time," Brice replied.

"Brice, it's fine," Charlotte told him, "You don't like the idea. You don't have to. You'll just have to deal with it."

"I want you to be happy, Charlotte," Brice told her.

"If you wanted that, then you'd be happy for me and Eddie," she finally looked up. The tears welling in her eyes nearly broke her brother's heart. His approval clearly meant a lot to her.

"And I will be," Brice replied, "It's just a surprise."

"Maybe springing my relationship with Eddie on you and Aiden wasn't the hottest idea," Charlotte frowned.

"We'll come around…or rather, I'll come around," Brice tried to reassure her, "Aiden will have the reaction you're hoping for. He'll be sufficiently shocked and then thrilled."

"I really do care about Eddie," Charlotte swallowed hard in an effort to keep her emotions in check.

"Good," Brice smiled.

There was an awkward pause in the conversation.

"I'd better let you get back to work…Are we good?" Brice asked.

"Yeah, we're okay," Charlotte managed to smile. "I'll see you later at home…Oh before I forget, I have an extra houseguest."

"Eddie?" Brice raised a curious brow.

"Uh, well, two I guess," Charlotte bit her lip, "Don't tell Dad that Eddie spends the night."

"I would never," Brice assured her, "Who's the other?"

"Devon," Charlotte replied, "He's back in the city and needs a place to crash until he gets on his feet."

"Char, your current boyfriend and ex-boyfriend under the same roof. Is that a good idea?" Brice hesitated.

"It's been a bit awkward, but Devon knows he has to behave," Charlotte stated.

"And Eddie is okay with it?" Brice pressed.

"He's not altogether thrilled, but it's not like it's going to be for weeks or months," Charlotte waved off his concerned, "It's just until Devon can find his own place."

"I won't say another word, but this just has disaster written all over it," Brice replied. "I'll see you back at your place later."

"And be nice to Devon. He's going through a tough time. The holidays are coming, and his family is out of the country."

"I'll do my best," Brice pinched the bridge of his nose before leaving. He'd never told Charlotte while she was dating Devon, but he'd never liked him, never trusted him. It always appeared like Devon was using Charlotte to get attention, but when she got too much, he was quick to cut her down.

Brice was out of the office for two seconds when Hannah came darting in, "A Columbia friend, I hope?"

"Brother, Brice," Charlotte laughed, "And he's taken."

"Everyone you associate with is taken," Hannah plopped herself down in one of the chairs.

"After the holidays, I'll arrange a meet and greet with one of my Columbia buddies, I promise," Charlotte assured her.

"And you're sure your brother is taken?" Hannah frowned, her eyes following Brice to the elevator, "He's so cute."

"Sorry, yes, I'm absolutely positive," Charlotte snorted, "After Christmas, I promise."

"I'm holding you to that," Hannah giggled and exited Charlotte's office.

Charlotte finally found the last few hours of uninterrupted time she needed to finish up her reports. She gathered them all up and went to her boss's office.

"What can I do for you, Charlotte?" Octavia looked up from her work when she noticed Charlotte standing in her doorway looking for an opening to interrupt.

"Finished up my reports," Charlotte held up several manila files.

"Excellent," Octavia smiled, "Put them on my desk. I'll get them back to you tomorrow for comments."

"Thank you," Charlotte replied.

"Since you have a bit of free time, would you check in with Higgins," Octavia requested, "He was out with the flu last week and fell a bit behind."

"Of course," Charlotte bobbed her head.

"And Ms. Bass," Octavia called after her as she turned to leave, "You've been getting a lot of personal visitors lately. You're allowed some latitude because of your last name, but please try to keep them to a minimum. This is a place of business."

"You're right," Charlotte felt the guilt hit her stomach immediately, "I'm sorry."

Octavia nodded in acceptance of the apology and went back to her work while Charlotte crossed the workroom and approached her coworker with the offer of help.

* * *

"Barty!" Charlotte was greeted as soon as she stepped off the elevator by the family's K-9 companion, waiting eagerly with his tail wagging. The dog immediately pounced on her, barking happily as Charlotte took several moments to rub him down.

"She's more excited to see your dog than she is you, Brice," his girlfriend, Collette, teased as they appeared in the entryway.

"He's so much cuter," Charlotte continued with her rubdown, "How have you been, Buddy? Chasing all sorts of vermin all around Grandpere's vineyard, bet you loved that."

Barty barked in response, his tail still wagging eagerly.

"He doesn't seem to like the leash too much anymore, but he loved all the mingling at the dog park at Central Park a couple of hours ago," Collette greeted Charlotte with a hug.

"So happy to see you, Lettie," Charlotte eagerly returned the hug.

"You have a _nice_ home," Collette looked around, "Remind me to get the name of your decorator whenever I want to settle down."

"Sounds like the settling down might come sooner than I originally thought," Charlotte teased, "With Brice being a college grad, and you nearly finished, I expect Daddy to be buying a love nest for you two quite soon."

Brice rolled his eyes. He'd already had the discussion with his father about purchasing real estate. Brice wanted to wait until Collette was finished with school and back in New York City permanently. He didn't want to make any decisions until Collette had made decisions about her career. His was fairly mobile. He could live and work from anywhere in the city, but he didn't want her having to deal with a long commute.

"So Brice told me a little secret about you and that dreamy Eddie Fraser," Collette linked arms with Charlotte as the two wandered into the living room to chat, leaving Brice in their dust. The pair had grown quite close over the years, even with an ocean between them. "Tell me everything, and don't leave anything out."

"Do I really have to hear this?" Brice moaned as he followed the pair, "My sister's sex life is none of my business."

"Ditto, Bro," Charlotte laughed.

"I just want to know how the pair went from friendly to more than," Collette sent her long time love a scowl.

Charlotte was all too happy to finally have someone close to her to talk about everything with. Her sorority sisters were great, but they didn't understand the workings of the Bass family like Collette. They didn't know how close the Frasers were, so they didn't get the complications. Collette certainly did.

"I'm gonna go up to the see the parents," Brice announced, "You two can have your girly conversations in peace."

"It's about time," Charlotte sent a laugh in her brother's direction.

Brice expected his dog to follow, but he was happily soaking up the attention Charlotte was bestowing upon him while she continued to converse with Collette.

"So, you and Eddie," Collette prompted Charlotte, her eyes were swimming with eagerness.

"Oh my god, Lettie, it just came out of nowhere," Charlotte gushed, "He was sitting there in HR day one at Bass, and it just hit me. I can't explain it, but we just clicked which was so weird because we've known each other forever."

"Awe, that's so sweet," Collette responded appropriately.

"We just fit now where we didn't when we were younger…when I was younger," Charlotte frowned.

"What's wrong?" Collette picked up on Charlotte's suddenly turbulent thoughts.

"Our age difference," Charlotte sighed, "At first it didn't seem like much of a deal, but as we get closer…I really care about him, and I love being with him, but I think we're on different timelines. He's ready to settle down and have kids."

"And you're not?" Collette asked.

"I don't know," Charlotte let out a shaky breath, "I mean Mom and Dad were only a year older than I am now when they got pregnant with me, but they had been together forever and they were ready for that next step. Dad was already well established at Bass. Mom was making waves at CB and taking the fashion world by storm. I'm just starting to find my footing at Bass."

"So just because you're starting out professionally means you have to put your personal life on hold?" Collette looked to Charlotte with confusion.

"I have such big shoes to fill," Charlotte pointed out, "I'm being groomed to take over Bass."

"That's not for a long time," Collette pointed out, "There's no crime in being happy while you're learning things."

"Maybe I'm just scared," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "He's such a great guy."

"And that's bad?" Collette asked.

"No!" Charlotte gasped, "I'm just afraid I don't know what I'm doing. We haven't even slept together yet."

"Awe, he's such a gentleman," Collette gushed.

"We holds me at night as we're sleeping, and I feel so safe and cherished," Charlotte confessed, "What happens if we do get physical and it ruins what we have?"

"What happens if you get physical and things get even better?" Collette turned the question around on Charlotte. "Look, I'm not going to get into specifics because Brice is your brother and well…ew…but after Brice and I…got closer physically, I knew I never wanted to be without him. I know we were only seventeen at the time, but I just knew. When Dad announced he was up and moving me to France, it just about broke my heart."

"I remember," Charlotte recalled.

"You'll know when the time is right," Collette offered, "And when it is, it's going to be wonderful and everything you feel now will just get better."

"It's just so different than it was the last time I was in a relationship," Charlotte confessed, "With Devon, it just some school girl chemical thing. I just wanted to get it out of my system, but with Eddie…it feels like it's building towards something, something I just don't know if I'm ready for."

"You can never be ready," Collette replied, "I've been with Brice for five years. I still get freaked out every now and then when we talk about what's going to happen after I graduate and move back to New York, but I also know I want to spend the rest of my life with him and no one else."

"Yeah, sometimes I catch myself thinking about what it would be like to be married to Eddie. I'm not going to lie…I like it, a lot."

"There's no rush," Collette stated, "Just because his biological clock has started ticking doesn't mean yours has to start. Guys can be dads at any age. If he loves you, he'll wait."

"Love," Charlotte gasped. The 'L' word had yet to be uttered by either of them. She wasn't sure she'd ever even experienced such a feeling. She'd cared about Devon, but she was pretty sure she'd been in lust with him, not in love with him.

"Is that what you're feeling?" Collette asked.

"I don't know," Charlotte replied, "I don't know what it feels like."

"You'll know it when you feel it," Collette assured her.

"God, I've missed you," Charlotte hugged her friend, "I can talk to you about things I can't talk about with anyone else."

"I'm only a phone call away for one more term," Collette replied.

"Brice needs to put a ring on it, so we can officially be sisters," Charlotte teased.

"One thing at a time," Collette burst out laughing, "Let's get through the term first."

* * *

Eddie waited until he got the all clear from Charlotte later in the evening before he ventured over to her place to sleep. He knew she was having a happy family meal with her parents and siblings. He didn't want to intrude, so he'd stayed late at the office, grabbing a quick bite at a café down the block before returning to work on his reports. If he was honest, he was drowning in paperwork. The extra hours at the office were needed if he was going to make his deadline.

He gave a nod of acknowledgement to the doorman as he entered Charlotte's building, being sure to give him a healthy tip in exchange for his silence with the powerful man who lived a floor above Charlotte, her father. He then rode the elevator up to Charlotte's floor, expecting the quietness to greet him. He was taken aback by the chocolate Labrador waiting at the elevator.

"Hey, Barty, remember me?" Eddie knelt down to give the dog some attention. The dog apparently did remember him as he began licking Eddie's face in greeting.

"I thought I heard the elevator," Brice greeted Eddie in the entryway.

"Brice, oh, hi," Eddie was a bit thrown. He'd assumed he'd be able to sneak in without being seen. "I'm here…um…"

"Charlotte told me about the two of you," Brice quickly put the older man out of his misery.

"Oh," Eddie breathed a mild sigh of relief. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Charlotte all day, so she hadn't broken that particular bit of news to him. "I…ah…guess it was a bit of a surprise."

"To put it mildly," Brice agreed, "I realize it's a bit late, but do you have a few minutes to chat?"

"Sure," Eddie bobbed his head and following Brice into the kitchen. There was a bottle of wine open on the counter, left over from dinner.

"You want a glass?" Brice went to the cabinet to retrieve a glass for him.

"Sure, but not too much. Work in the morning and all," Eddie agreed.

"How is it being back in New York?" Brice asked.

"There's a different speed here than in London," Eddie confessed, "I'm still trying to figure things out. Your father is a very measured and precise man. He knows exactly what he wants, and it's up the rest of us to make it happen."

"He is one of the best businessmen in the world," Brice bobbed his head, "He wouldn't have brought you back if he didn't think you were up to the task."

"Yeah, I know," Eddie took a sip from his glass.

"This was from the first harvest at the vineyard after Collette and I moved to France," Brice swirled the liquid around in his glass so he could bring up the aroma, "I didn't have a clue what I was doing, but Grandpere and Roman were very patient with me. I think it turned out rather well."

"Yeah, it's quite good," Eddie agreed after taking another sip.

"I'm not going to make some big thing of you and Charlotte being together. She's obviously very happy. I'd be a fool to want to get in the way of that," Brice began, "I just need to know that you're going to treat her right and that you're with her for the right reasons."

"Dating your sister was never the plan, but I've come to care about her a great deal…more than I thought I ever could when we were younger," Eddie replied.

"If you're just using her to advance your career…" Brice began.

"I'd never do that," Eddie cut him off, "Come on, Brice, you know me better than that. I'm a stand up guy. I always have been."

"I thought I knew you, but now you're dating my sister," Brice countered, "That's an entirely new level of get to know that you and I need to work through."

"You're protective of Charlotte, I get it," Eddie replied. "You wouldn't be a good brother if you didn't have concerns, but I'm not what you need to worry about. I'm afraid I'm more into this relationship than she is."

"What does that mean?" Brice frowned in confusion.

"I'm in love with her," Eddie snapped.

There was a significant pause in the conversation. It was clearly the first time he'd said the words out loud.

"I'm so in love with her," Eddie responded, his voice barely above a whisper now, "I'm so afraid. She's just figuring out her place in this world. What if she realizes she can do better? She deserves so much better."

"I know my sister," Brice began, "She's never been happier. I could tell it in her voice when I'd talk to her when I was in France. I could see it the instant I appeared in her office today. Your relationship is the real deal for her too."

"Thanks for saying that," Eddie replied.

"Don't hurt her," Brice requested, "You're like a brother to me. I don't want to have to hire a hit man to take out my brother."

Eddie couldn't help the snort that escaped.

"Okay, here goes," Brice responded after inhaling a deep breath, "You treat her like the royal she is, and you and I will be the best of friends."

"That's a promise," Eddie extended his hand and the pair shook on it. "It's getting late and work is going to call first thing in the morning."

"Go on," Brice watched Eddie swallow the last gulp in his glass, "See you at breakfast."

Just as Eddie was exiting the kitchen, Devon was entering. Eddie didn't bother to address the intrusive young man. He simply brushed passed him on the way to Charlotte's room.

"Feels a bit chilly in here," Devon bellied up to the counter.

"What do you expect, Dev?" Brice rolled his eyes, "You just show up out of the blue, take advantage of my sister's generosity, and just parade around here like you own the place."

"I'm just here until I can find my own place," Devon helped himself to a glass of wine, finishing off the bottle on the counter.

"Have you even started looking?" Brice challenged him. "I'm not an idiot. I know exactly what you were hoping for when you showed up. Things didn't work out in L.A., so you figured you'd just waltz back into New York and Charlotte would open up her arms, home and wallet for you. Let me just set you straight. That would never happen. Even if Eddie wasn't in the picture, you being here would only be as a houseguest, not lord of the manor."

"You so sure of that?" Devon took a healthy gulp from his glass.

"Hundred percent," Brice bobbed his head confidently, "You were the college boyfriend. You were never going to get a seat at the Waldorf-Bass dinner table."

"We'll see about that," Devon polished off his wine in record time.

"Dev," Brice grasped the other man's arm when he turned to leave, "You know my dad. You know how protective he is of us. Don't do anything stupid."

Devon shook Brice off and returned to his bedroom.

* * *

Eddie slipped into Charlotte's bedroom to find her sound asleep, curled up with her arms around his pillow. He smiled at the sight. She was so beautiful as she slept, her eyes fluttering slightly when she was dreaming. The peaceful smile on her face told him it was a good dream. He bent down to kiss her forehead before slipping into the bathroom to change into his pajamas. The words he'd spoken to Brice echoed in his ears. He was finally ready to admit it to himself. Now he needed to find the moment to admit it to her.

When Eddie slipped into bed, Charlotte stirred slightly.

"I tried to wait up for you," she mumbled, her arm wrapping around his torso.

"Sorry," he kissed her temple, "Paperwork is getting stacked up at the office."

"You're here now," she molded herself against him, "I missed you today."

"I missed you too," his arm wrapped around her shoulder, bringing her a fractional bit closer.

"Brice knows about us," she replied.

"I know," he caressed her shoulder softly with his fingers, "Go to sleep. We can talk in the morning."

"Good night, Eddie," she muttered into his chest.

"Good night, Charlotte," he felt her breathing immediately even out. She was already back to sleep. "I love you."

Just saying the words out loud with her in the room was enough for right now. One day he would find the courage to say them to her directly.

 **TBC…**

 **So there is a bit of Brice and Collette's backstory in this chapter. I've flirted with writing the actual story, but haven't gotten the necessary inspiration beyond what are on these pages.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Charlotte was blissfully happy to enter her home to the sights and smells of Christmas. Her decorator had transformed her penthouse in the hours since she'd left for work. Christmas had always been her favorite time of the year. Her father had made sure the holiday was special for her and her brothers. As a little girl, their home was turned into a winter wonderland, and she soaked it up eagerly. She knew she wanted to make her first Christmas in her own penthouse just as special.

"The decorators outdid themselves," Brice greeted his sister as she roamed each room to take it all in.

"Yes, they did," Charlotte's smile widened with each room she entered.

"Barty was in his element as the workers brought in boxes upon boxes. He was sniffing around, searching for who knows what," Brice laughed as his dog plopped himself on his rump, his tail wagging vigorously.

"Such a good boy," Charlotte bent down to scratch behind his ears, adding a kiss to the top of his head.

"You should see Mom and Dad's place," Brice chuckled, "Mom wanted to change things up a bit this year. It looks like some art deco piece. Dad is going to be pissed."

"Christmas is the one time of year he wants everything to be traditional," Charlotte laughed, "Let's stay down here this evening."

"Aiden is already a step ahead of you," Brice nodded, "He's making four of us dinner…it's not too late to add a fifth to our party if you want Eddie to join us. I know you haven't told Aiden yet, but it might not be a bad time to do it."

"Eddie's stuck at the office," Charlotte frowned, "With the office closing for the holidays, it's his last few hours to get some work done for two weeks."

"He's going to work himself into an early grave," Brice observed, "He's been working until almost midnight every night since I've been home."

"And for weeks before that," Charlotte added, "I think his workload is too great. His bosses keep stacking the work on him. It's totally not fair. Even Dad doesn't work as hard as Eddie has been."

"That doesn't sound right," Brice frowned, "You should talk to Dad."

"How do I do that without tipping my hand that Eddie spends the night?" Charlotte asked, "Dad's been pretty cool about us so far, but I don't want to push him off the deep edge."

"I know how unfair it is that Collette and I are pretty much free to do as we wish, and you and Eddie have to hide things," Brice gave her a look of sympathy.

"I'm daddy's little girl," Charlotte shrugged, "I get that. He'd probably be just as neurotic of you if you hadn't found the love of your life in prep school. You should see how he is with Aiden sometimes and his dating life. He's got his P.I. working over time running background checks on all the people Aiden associates with."

"Aiden does seem to have inherited Dad's playboy ways, even if he's a few years behind the curve," Brice chuckled.

"One of us had to inherit Dad's charms," Charlotte snickered. "Where is Collette?"

"She went shopping with her mom," Brice replied, "She should be back soon."

"I bet Ms. Lafonte is super happy to have Collette home for the holidays," Charlotte replied, "Mom is over the moon you're home. I can only imagine what her reaction is going to be when she finds out you're moving home for good."

"Collette says her mom is seeing this new guy, and they appear quite serious," Brice confessed, "She thinks there might even be a ring in her near future."

"How about a ring in Collette's future," Charlotte ribbed her brother, "Come on, Bro, step up and propose already."

Brice's face suddenly flushed and then went pale.

"Are you? This Christmas?" Charlotte translated his ghostly appearance.

"Yeah," he produced the ring from his pocket, "I just picked it up at the jewelry store this afternoon."

"Oh my god, Brice, this is awesome!" Charlotte hugged her brother before examining the ring. "She's going to love it."

"I'm a bit nervous about it," he confessed, "I mean we've talked about it obviously, but she wants to wait until she graduates and moves back. I just…I want her to know how committed I am even though we'll be an ocean apart."

"Don't worry about it, Brice," Charlotte gave her brother some encouragement, "You two are going to get a happily ever after, I know it."

"Even Mom turned Dad down a couple of times before she finally said yes," Brice pointed out.

"That was totally different," Charlotte scoffed. Her parents had been regaling them all with tales of their courtship for years. It nearly broke Charlotte's heart when she'd learned her mother had turned down her father's marriage proposals twice before she finally said yes. It wasn't until she was a bit older that she understood her mother's motives, her need to be her own person apart from her husband.

"I did okay?" Brice's voice waffled nervously as he reclaimed the ring from Charlotte. "Dad hooked me up with his jeweler to customize it."

"It's gorgeous," Charlotte bobbed her head, "Collette will love it."

"Yeah," Brice released a shaky breath.

"So when are you going to ask her?" Charlotte asked, "Do you need any help planning?"

"Christmas Eve, actually," Brice admitted, "After our traditional small family gathering, I'm going to ask Collette to take a carriage ride through the park. She's always wanted to go on one."

"That's perfect," Charlotte felt herself getting a bit misty eyed at the thought of her younger brother getting engaged.

"Not too cheesy?" he asked.

"Even if it was, for proposals cheesy is okay," Charlotte assured him.

The elevator chime sobered them up pretty quick. Brice quickly pocketed the ring to greet Collette as she stepped off the elevator loaded down with bags from her shopping trip with her mother.

"Wow, Lettie, did you leave anything in the store for the rest of us?" Charlotte teased.

"Mom was trying to make up for all the shopping trips we've missed together since I've been home last, so she went a bit overboard," Collette confessed as Brice dutifully unloaded a few of the bags from her. "I tried to remind her it wasn't necessary, especially with Christmas less than a week away, but she insisted. She's feeling especially generous since her boyfriend was footing the bill."

"Really?" Charlotte raised a curious brow, "Using the significant other's credit cards, that usually a pretty big step. What's he like?"

"He's a nice enough guy, but I still find it weird to think of either of my parents dating other people. They weren't altogether happy together, but I guess I was naively hoping someday they might get back together," Collette frowned.

"I guess every kid of divorce goes through that to some degree," Charlotte put an arm around Collette's shoulders to offer comfort. She and her brothers knew how lucky they were to have two parents so completely devoted to each other. Though they'd argue and sometimes go days without speaking to each other, none of the kids had ever really worried about them separating or divorcing.

"Yeah, I guess," Collette bobbed her head.

Aiden popped out of the kitchen, "Hey, Lettie," he greeted her with a smile, "Dinner will be ready in like thirty minutes."

"Gives me time to get all this stuff put away," Collette disappeared into the guest room she was sharing with Brice.

"Is she okay?" Aiden looked a bit concerned about his brother's girlfriend as she wandered off. There was a look in her eyes he didn't like.

"Yeah," Brice assured his younger brother, "I'll go check on her."

Aiden and Charlotte watched him wander off, his dog hot on his heels, knowing he'd be an effective pick me up for his lover.

"Did he tell you about the ring?" Aiden motioned his sister to follow him into the kitchen so he could continue his preparations.

"He did," Charlotte hopped up onto a stool to watch her younger brother work, "It's so exciting. I'm a bit jealous too. My little brother should not be allowed to get engaged before me."

"Come on, Sis, you're probably not too far behind with that mystery man you're seeing," Aiden teased, "Even Dad seems okay with it, which is really weird. He never liked any of the other guys you've seen."

"About that mystery man," Charlotte began, "I should really tell you about him. It's not fair that Mom and Dad know, and now Brice and Collette do."

"You mean you're finally going to tell me you're dating Eddie Fraser," Aiden teased.

"What!" Charlotte sputtered in response, "You knew!"

"Of course I knew," Aiden rolled his eyes, "You two weren't as sneaky as you may have thought. I saw him leaving the building a few mornings at the butt crack of dawn when I was returning from the farmer's market."

"Oh god," her hands went to her face to hide her embarrassment, "You didn't tell Dad, did you?"

"Of course not," he almost sounded offended she thought he would, "I like Eddie. I always have. I wouldn't want to subject him to Dad's wrath…You could have just told me."

"I'm sorry," she admitted, "At first we just wanted to see if there was anything beyond the initial attraction, and when we figured out there was, we were going to wait until Christmas to tell everyone…then I was suspended at work and things went a bit sideways. Dad sort of outed us. Slowly but surely everyone started finding out. I didn't mean for you to be the last one…I was going to tell you and Brice together at Christmas, but he guessed when we were having lunch with Daddy at his office."

"It's okay, Char," Aiden assured her, "I figured you had your reasons. I'm just glad it's finally out there."

"He loves your food," Charlotte stated, "It says a lot because he knows some really great places to eat. He took me to this one place in Queens with the best Greek food I've ever tasted, even during that winter break we spent in Greece. We have to get you there. You will love it."

"Sign me up," Aiden responded eagerly.

"So we're okay?" Charlotte hesitatingly asked.

"Oh yeah, totally," Aiden assured her, "No hard feelings at all."

"You're the best little brother," Charlotte got off her stool and went to hug him.

"Don't say that too loud or Brice might hear you," Aiden teased.

"Too late," Brice entered the kitchen to see the two embracing, "What's going on?"

"Charlotte finally copped to dating Eddie Fraser," Aiden replied, "I made her squirm for a bit, but that's my job."

"Jerk," Charlotte smacked at his shoulder, "How much longer on dinner?"

"Twenty minutes," Aiden replied.

"I'm going to go up and see the deco piece Mom created," Charlotte stated, "I'll be back before we eat."

"Oh god, talk Mom into changing it, will you," Aiden groaned, "It's hideous. It's going to give me nightmares until next Christmas."

"I'll do my best," Charlotte snorted.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Charlotte gasped as she entered her parents' home to see the so-called Christmas decorations. She could hear her mother's ranting from her office all the way from the entryway. She'd apparently just gotten home herself to see the decorator's handy work and was not pleased.

"Don't say anything about it to your mother," Chuck cautioned his daughter when he emerged from his office to greet her with a hug.

Charlotte frowned in the direction of one of the decorations, "Is that supposed to be a Christmas tree?"

"Your guess is as good as ours," Chuck winced at the language he was hearing from his wife's office.

"When we met with the decorators to discuss our Christmas visions, Mom wanted something a bit artsy, but she didn't want abstract," Charlotte followed her father into his office to get away from the shouting. Her mother was using words a seasoned sailor would blush at. "Pablo Picasso would be given nightmares by what's out there."

"You and your siblings are wise to stay at your place tonight," Chuck laughed, "Your mother's mood is going to be difficult to neutralize, even using my seductive powers."

"She's going to give herself a stroke," Charlotte could still hear her mother's voice waft into her father's office.

"It's best to let her get it out of her system," Chuck assured his daughter, "I'll pay to smooth things over later."

"Good. I really like what they did to my place, and I'd hate to have to find another decorator to replicate it next year," Charlotte replied.

"We'll have to come down to see it after your mother has cooled off," Chuck replied.

"So after New Year's," Charlotte stated.

Chuck could only laugh in reply.

"Dad, I have a question to ask you. You can tell me it's none of my business if you want, but…" Charlotte began.

"What is it, Princess?"

"Is Eddie in over his head here in New York?" Charlotte asked.

"Why would you ask?" Chuck was a bit curious.

"It's just an observation," Charlotte's voice cracked a bit as she spoke. Eddie would probably be furious with her for even mentioning anything to her father. "He's been working a lot of hours lately, like until midnight every night for weeks. I wouldn't he surprised to see him take a stack of files home to work on over the holidays…that's just not right, Dad. Ever since he came back from taking that weekend off with his brother I've barely seen him."

Chuck sighed heavily in response. He was afraid this was going to happen.

"What's that sigh all about?" Charlotte asked. She was usually pretty good at reading her father, but his response was a new one for her.

"He's trying to push himself," Chuck explained, "He's been trying to prove himself since he got back from London, taking on extra assignments, doing the work of three people. I've talked to his superiors twice already about reducing his workload, but apparently those talks have fallen on deaf ears. I'm glad you told me. I'll handle it."

"He can't know I talked to you," Charlotte fidgeted nervously with her hands.

"He won't," Chuck assured her, "Eugenia has been in my ear about this a few times already. It's important for my employees to find the work-life balance that works for them, but from the sounds of things, Mister Fraser hasn't gotten a grasp on that concept yet."

"Do you think this has anything to do with me and us dating?" Charlotte asked.

"It might," Chuck bobbed his head slowly, "One day, hopefully fifteen, twenty years down the road I'll be retiring and you'll be taking over. You'll be Eddie's boss. That's not an easy pill for some men to swallow."

"How do you and Mom manage?" Charlotte asked, "I mean technically you're her boss."

"Sweetheart, your mother has always been the boss," he chuckled, "While my company does own hers, she's always been able to work autonomously."

"You've never stepped in?" she asked.

"I've never had to," Chuck replied.

"So you're saying in order for me and Eddie to work, we're going to need to find something he can do which allows him to do work separate from me?" Charlotte asked.

"That might be the best way," Chuck bobbed his head.

"But he's good at his job," Charlotte frowned.

"Yes, he is," Chuck agreed, "Too good."

"If I wasn't being groomed to take over for you, where would Eddie end up?" Charlotte asked.

"You know the answer to that," Chuck's eyes locked with hers.

"So no matter what I'm going to hold him back. He could be CEO of Bass, but because of me, he never will be," Charlotte swallowed hard on the realization.

"With you at Bass, he never would be," Chuck reminded her, "No matter your personal involvement with Mister Fraser, your career has always been predetermined, unless it's not what you want."

"Some days it's hard to know what I want," Charlotte admitted, "One thing I do know, I want to be with Eddie."

"You'll figure things out, Sweetheart," he grasped her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing them softly, like he'd done dozens of times over the years. The gesture always brought her comfort, but not today.

"I should get downstairs. Aiden was nearly done with dinner," Charlotte replied.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Chuck tried to rally her suddenly turbulent spirits.

"I'll be okay," Charlotte tried to reassure him, giving him a hug before she turned to leave. Her mother was still giving the decorator a severe tongue lashing when she emerged from her father's study, so she figured she'd wait for a different day to speak with her.

* * *

Eddie was hard at work when he caught a figure in his doorway late in the evening.

"This office is shutting down for the holiday," Chuck was leaning casually against the young man's door frame.

"I know," Eddie looked appropriately contrite.

"Then I'm curious why you're here with your head buried in paperwork rather than at home with your family or having dinner with my daughter," Chuck entered Eddie's office and took a seat in one of the available chairs.

"I just have so much to get done and there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do it," Eddie admitted.

"Are you enjoying being back in New York?" Chuck asked the younger man, "I know it's a change of pace to London, but is it too much for you?"

"No, not at all," Eddie assured him, "I can handle the work, I just wish I had more time to do it."

"Mister Fraser, you know I think quite highly of you. I've given you a lot of opportunities I wouldn't give other young executives because of our familial connections. You have all the tools and talents to take you as far as you wish, but there is another side to life you need to figure out," Chuck told the young man, "You need to find a work-life balance, and from what I've been observing, your life right now consists of just work. That's not okay."

"Maybe I'd find the balance if I could get out from under all of this," Eddie motioned towards the mounds of work on his desk.

"You'd get out from under all of this, if you learned to say no a bit more," Chuck countered, "I don't want any of my executives taking on more than they are capable of. I certainly don't expect them to work seven days a week until they pass out only to get up the next morning to do it all over again."

"I just want to show my worth," Eddie sighed heavily, "I want to prove I'm worthy of all the opportunities you've given me…that I'm worthy of her."

"Charlotte," Chuck realized, "You're working yourself to the bone to prove to everyone you're good enough for my daughter, but you're forgetting one thing…The only person you have anything to prove to, is Charlotte, and from what I've seen, she already thinks you're good enough for her."

"I wish I felt good enough for her," Eddie ran a hand through his hair, "Sometimes I feel like we come from two different worlds. I didn't go to the fancy prep schools, and my family doesn't belong to the snooty country club. We don't summer in the Hamptons, and I've never even ridden a horse."

"Your parents raised you differently than Blair and I raised Charlotte, but not because they couldn't afford all those things you've mentioned. Your mother's salary is considerable, and if she felt prep school, country clubs and homes in the Hamptons were important, your family had the resources. Your family has different priorities, which is one of the things I love about Eugenia and why we work so well together. She offers me a different perspective.

"Do you know what our charitable foundation's reputation was when I first started at Bass? It was a joke. Your mother was the one to make it a priority for me. She pushed and pushed to make Bass one of the most generous companies in the world. Now I write checks to our various charities without batting a lash, and we're talking millions of dollars a year," Chuck replied, "Honestly, I hope that philanthropic desire gets passed on to Charlotte."

"I never thought about it that way," Eddie admitted, "Justin and I just saw this world you and your families lived in, and we so desperately wanted a way in."

"And many in my world desperately want a way out," Chuck laughed, "I want you to show Charlotte your world, where material things don't seem to matter as much, where happiness is more important than social status. Blair and I have done our best, but until Charlotte can truly see it from the eyes of someone who has experienced it she's never going to fully understand it."

"Yeah, maybe," Eddie bobbed his head, "I have to admit though, your world is pretty spectacular."

"Yes, it is," Chuck laughed, "Now hand me a stack of files. Let's see if we can reset some of your priorities and deadlines so you can enjoy the holidays like the rest of us."

Eddie did as Chuck requested, and together they worked pile down to a manageable size. Chuck even rolled up his sleeves and tackled some of the tasks himself, finding it a bit invigorating to get back into the trenches a bit. For so long he'd been the captain steering the ship. He'd forgotten what it was like to be a sailor following the captain's commands.

 **TBC…**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

"Hey, Stranger," Charlotte was thrilled to wake up and find her boyfriend's eyes looking at her intently. "What time did you get here last night?"

"Late," he kissed her temple.

"Why are you awake then?" she rubbed lightly at his chest through his thin cotton t-shirt.

"I have a gorgeous woman in my arms. I'd be a fool for sleeping in," he smiled as she snuggled in on him.

"You'd be a fool not to," she gave him a lazy smile, "You've been working so many hours lately."

"I was able to reset my priorities," he rubbed circled into her back with his hands.

"Does that mean you don't have to go into the office today?" she asked hopefully.

Eddie found himself getting lost into her eyes. Even half awake, her eyes seemed to sparkle. "It's Christmas break," he told her, "For me too."

Charlotte got an excited look on her face. "I know just what we should do today."

"Oh really?" he lifted a curious brow, "We have the charity gala tonight."

"That's hours away," she responded.

"What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"First off, do you have any holiday traditions we need to take care of?" she asked.

"Just decorating the apartment, baking some cookies, and exchanging gifts," he shrugged.

"How would you feel about adding a few new traditions to your repertoire?" she asked.

"Sounds like fun," he curled a strand of her hair around his finger.

"Oh before I forget, Aiden knows about us," Charlotte replied, "Apparently he's actually known for awhile. He didn't say anything because he figured we had our reasons for keeping quiet."

"You and I should never become spies because we apparently suck at keeping our relationship off the radar," he chuckled.

"Or everyone in our family should become spies themselves because they were so good at figuring things out," Charlotte laughed with him. "So you're game for us having some holiday fun?"

"Absolutely," he bobbed his head, "So long as it can be just you and me for a couple of hours. We haven't had a lot of us time lately, and that's mostly my fault."

"You were busy with work," she caressed his chin, "I completely understand."

"My priorities are straight now, so you have my undivided attention all day," he assured her.

"Good," she caressed his chest lightly, her fingernails lightly scratching through his shirt, "How about another hour or so of sleep and then we get on with our day."

"Okay," he allowed himself to fall back to sleep for a while longer. Charlotte wasn't surprised considering how hard he'd been working lately. She let him sleep for a bit longer than an hour, surprising him with breakfast in bed before disappearing into her bathroom to get dressed for their mysterious outing.

"Look who finally got out of bed," Devon greeted Eddie when he emerged from Charlotte's room to grab another cup of coffee while Charlotte finished getting ready, "Thought you were going to sleep the day away, if in fact you were sleeping."

"Been working a bit too hard lately. Thought I'd spend the first day of my vacation catching up on some sleep. Charlotte didn't seem to mind," Eddie refilled his coffee mug. "How's the apartment hunting going?"

"Slim pickings," he held up the real estate listings to prove he'd actually been looking, "A buddy of mine knows a guy who has a place potentially opening to be sublet, but it's not available until February. In the mean time, I'm keeping my options open."

"And the job hunt?" Eddie asked.

"My agent has me going on a few auditions, but most productions are shutting down their casting departments over the holidays," Devon replied, "I won't be getting much in the way of work until the first of the year."

"I see," Eddie took a healthy gulp from his coffee to cover for his great need to role his eyes. He wasn't stupid enough to believe Devon was putting in a lot of effort to find himself alternate accommodations. Charlotte's home was quite the comfortable place to stay as he was well aware.

"So the Bass Charity Gala is tonight, that should be a lot of fun," Devon chimed in, "Got your monkey suit rented yet?"

"No need to rent," Eddie shook his head, "I own one. I attend enough formal occasions to have found the need to actually purchase a tux."

"Charlotte says this gala is always the social event of the season," Devon responded, "You ready to come out formally."

"Absolutely," Eddie replied, "It seems our immediate family already knows. They're all really supportive, so there isn't anything else to worry about."

"Until Mister Bass finds out you're practically living with his daughter," Devon muttered.

"And how is he going to find out?" Eddie challenged the younger man.

"Mister Bass is a pretty resourceful dude," Devon shrugged, "I'd watch my back if I were you."

"And I'd watch my front, if I were you," Eddie countered, "Charlotte's hospitality will only last so long. If she hears you've been gossiping to the right people who funneled the information to her father, I'd wager she'd toss you out into the street. That's not exactly the way I'd want to spend the holidays, if I were you."

Devon's nostrils flared as he rose from the table and made a dramatic exit just as Brice was entering. Brice had to quickly sidestep Charlotte's ex to avoid ramming into him.

"He's not gone yet?" Brice grumbled as he helped himself to a morning cup of coffee.

"Apparently not," Eddie sighed heavily.

"I'm surprised Dad hasn't just paid him off to get him to go away," Brice plopped himself down in a chair and helped himself to a few pastries on the table.

"That's probably plan b," Eddie replied.

"Charlotte's too nice sometimes," Brice said between bites of his breakfast. "I would have let Devon stay one night and then insisted he find another place to stay…You know he's going to try to find a way to force you out, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Eddie bobbed his head. He knew he should be more concerned about Charlotte's ex, but the more he got to know Devon, the less threatened he felt by him, especially considering Charlotte's almost complete indifference towards him.

"You ready for the gala?" Brice asked.

"As ready as I can be," Eddie replied.

"Stay on Uncle Nate's good side," Brice suggested, "He's almost as protective of Charlotte as Dad is."

"That's a good tip," Eddie chuckled, "You got any other tips?"

"Nah, Nate's the only one I'd really worry about if I was you," Brice shook his head.

"And Serena's date?" Eddie asked.

"Mom made her promise not to bring the guy from Thanksgiving," Brice chuckled, "Sounds like I dodged a bullet on meeting that train wreck."

"Gave Charlotte the willies," Eddie stated.

"Serena will probably show up with Nate tonight," Brice sighed.

"There you are," Charlotte found Eddie in the dining room conversing with her brother, "You need to get ready. We're heading out soon."

Eddie gave her an appreciative glance, both to take in her beauty and to determine what he should wear. She was dressed casually in a comfy sweater, a pair of denim leggings and brown suede booties.

"Where are you off to?" Brice asked.

"It's a secret for the moment," Charlotte gave Eddie a shove in the direction of her bedroom, "Get dressed."

Eddie disappeared into the master bedroom to get dressed. He was amassing quite a collection of clothes at Charlotte's home, so he had plenty to pick from. He suddenly realized he already had his own section in her closet and a host of drawer at his disposal. He wondered if they should talk about their living situation in the near future.

Emerging from Charlotte's bedroom a bit later, he could hear Charlotte's tense voice in the dining room. He was surprised by the tone of her voice as she'd been in such a good mood when went to get dressed.

He entered to find Charlotte and her brother staring each other down. "Everything okay?" Eddie asked.

"Fine," Charlotte masked her frustration, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, are you?" he looked to her with concern.

"Let's go," Charlotte bobbed her head and pulled him towards the coat closet, sending one final scowl in her brother's direction.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Eddie caressed her cheek as he watched her don her warmest winter coat, adding a printed scarf and matching beanie to complete her look.

"Just a few terse words between siblings," she gave him her best attempt at a smile, "Let's not let it ruin our day."

"I'm game if you are," he pressed his lips softly to hers.

* * *

Emerging from the taxi in front of Bloomingdales, Eddie was quite confused when Charlotte didn't pull him into the store.

"When we were little, Mom and Dad would bundle us up in our warmest winter wear. We'd go to Macy's to have an audience with Santa, privately before the store opened and the mammoth line of kids could form. Then we'd spend the next couple of hours walking from store to store to take in the marvelous window displays," Charlotte linked her arm into his and guided him to the first window display she could find. "Mom and I would just oh and ah at the sights. Brice would be moaning about how bored and cold he was. Aiden would be laughing at Brice, his hand linked with mine. Dad would coax us along especially when Mom and I lingered too long at one particular window. After it all, we'd find some new place to have a good cup of hot chocolate…Are you up for some walking?"

"With you, absolutely," he smiled and so they went from window to window. The conversation shifted easily from one topic to the next as the pair traded stories about their childhood Christmas memories. Laughter made a regular occurrence between the pair.

Eddie glanced at his watch as they entered a café he'd recommended for their hot chocolate.

"We have plenty of time," Charlotte assured him. "We have four hours before the car picks us up for the gala, and Mom has a team of people coming to do our hair and makeup."

"Just checking," he smiled and held her chair for her.

"I had so much fun," Charlotte told him as she removed her scarf and beanie.

"You certainly looked like it," Eddie brought her hand to his lips. Her hands were a bit chilled. He took a few moments to take each one and rub it between his hands to warm them up.

"Do you have an holiday memories that include me?" Charlotte asked after the waitress came to take their beverage orders. Along with two hot chocolates, they ordered a few chocolate chip cookies to tide them over until the meal at the party.

"A few," he bobbed his head.

"Come on, you can't just say a few and end it at that," she batted her lashes.

"Okay, the first one," he instantly caved, "Your first Christmas, you were probably four months old. Your dad just went totally overboard with buying gifts for you and turned your parent's home into Santa's village. You were kind of fussy that day, more so than you'd been pretty much every time I'd seen you before then. If anyone besides your dad tried to hold you, you'd squirm and carry on until you were passed back to him. Your grandmother, Eleanor, was on the receiving end of a couple of blood curling screams. It kept pretty much everyone at bay, but then I got the bright idea that I could hold you. No one thought I'd have any better luck. I mean, I was just this six year old kid. What good was I going to be?"

"Did I settle down in your arms?" Charlotte asked hopefully.

"Nope," he laughed, "You just kicked and wailed and carried on until your father came to your rescue."

"You're making that up!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not," Eddie chuckled.

The waitress came with their beverages and cookies

"Good grief, pick a different one," she broke off a piece of one of the cookies and popped it into her mouth.

"Okay, you were eight, I think," he stated after a moment of thought. "It was the snowiest Christmas I could ever remember. Justin and I had been cooped up in the apartment for three days. We couldn't get to our family celebration in Boston. Everyone was super bummed. Mom couldn't even get to the store, so we weren't going to even have a special meal. We were just going to watch movies all day and eat frozen pizza, when there was this knock at the door. Your father had sent a vehicle for us, so we could at least celebrate with good food and good company."

"How do I fit in?" Charlotte asked.

"Apparently Justin and I weren't the only ones who had been going stir crazy because when we arrived, you and your brothers were practically bouncing off walls and kept asking your father every five minutes to go to Central Park to build a snowman. After lunch, your father finally caved, so all us kids bundled up, and your dad, Uncle Nate, and my dad took us across the street to Central Park. We built snowmen, had snowball fights, and just wore off so much energy. One the way home, your boots were soaked through and you were cold to the bone, so I offered to five you a piggy back ride," he recalled.

"Oh my god, I totally remember that now," Charlotte's eyes lit up in excitement, "That was such a fun afternoon."

"Who would have thought fifteen years later, you and I would be dating," he sent her a wink.

"Certainly not me," Charlotte smiled, "I had the biggest crush on you. Was it obvious?"

"A bit," he teased.

Charlotte's hands went to her face to hide her blush.

"I didn't mind," he reached for one of her hands. "I can't say I had a crush on you too, but I certainly was quite fond of you. I didn't mind having you tag along during vacations we had together when Justin and I set out to see the sights beyond the four star hotel."

"Remember the one time we ended up in that really rough neighborhood, and some guy tried to steal Justin's wallet," Charlotte recalled.

"Picked the wrong guy to tangle with," Eddie bobbed his head, "Justin was already training with the ROTC and dropped that guy with a single punch."

"You made me swear never to tell my father," Charlotte added, "And I never did."

"I know," he chuckled, "Justin and I would be six feet under by now if he found out."

"I never felt like I was in danger," Charlotte confessed, "I knew you and Justin would protect me. In fact, if I remember right, you did step in between me and that goon."

"Reflex," he chuckled.

"Uh huh," she gave his hand a squeeze.

"What were you and Brice arguing about earlier?" Eddie asked.

"Ugh, Devon," Charlotte frowned, "Brice says I should ask him to leave."

"I'm not even going to touch that argument," Eddie replied.

"Do you think I'm letting Devon play me?" Charlotte asked.

"I believe he genuinely doesn't have any place else to go, but I also think that if he's allowed to get comfortable he's not going to move on," Eddie chose his words carefully.

"I feel bad for him," Charlotte admitted, "His family is gone, and it's the holidays. No one should be alone at Christmas."

"Just make sure you're clear with Devon about how long he can expect your hospitality to last," Eddie suggested.

"I will," she assured him.

After their cookies and hot chocolate, Eddie hailed them a cab and they rode back to Charlotte's penthouse. She was immediately whisked up to her parent's place to get ready for the party. Since Eddie's tuxedo was at his parents' place, he left with the promise he would return before the car arrived to bring them to the gala.

 **TBC…**

 **Who's ready for the gala?**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **I've always loved a good gala. Hopefully you all do too. It's a long chapter, but all the good galas are...**

Brice was sitting at his sister's piano, playing a song from memory as he waited for his mother, sister, and girlfriend to be ready for the annual Bass Industries Christmas Gala. He'd been playing piano since he was five. His teacher had recommended it after commenting how it might help his concentration with classwork. He proved to be a quick study. Though he no longer took lessons, he still played quite frequently, usually for his own enjoyment.

Barty was curled up next to the bench, half asleep. His father was sitting in the living room with his best friend, Nate, drinking a glass of scotch. Everyone was waiting for the women to be ready.

"You should have added a second residence years ago, Bass," Nate was stretched out with his feet up on the ottoman with a tumbler of scotch in one hand, "This sofa is quite comfortable, and there is no stress about some last minute gown crisis."

"Since when have you ever stressed out about a gown crisis?" Chuck snorted in amusement.

Aiden emerged from the spare bedroom, having waited until hopefully the last minute to dress. He was more comfortable working events like the one they were about to attend, but his mother had insisted he needed to be visible as a member of the Bass family, not as a chef.

"I hate these things," Aiden tugged at his askew tie, "Remind me again why I have to go?"

"Your last name is Bass," Chuck set aside his glass and went to assist his youngest son with his tie. His oldest son had taken after him in learning the finer points of a perfect bow tie, but Aiden had always been stubborn when it came to his father's teaching.

"Is it too late to change my name to Smith?" Aiden stood still to allow his father to straighten his tie.

"Only if you don't mind me freezing your trust fund," Chuck smirked, "It is under the name of Aiden Bass after all."

"Waldorf-Bass," Brice chimed in yet continued to tickle the ivories.

Aiden frowned in response. As much as he detested attending these types of events, he certainly wasn't ready to give up his trust fund and all the other benefits of being an heir to the Bass family fortune. He fully intended to make a sizeable withdrawal when he finished with his training to start his restaurant.

"You just have to stay through the meal," Chuck told his son.

"Can I get that in writing?" Aiden responded sarcastically.

The elevator chimed, and the quartet assumed it was the ladies finally ready for the evening. Out stepped Eddie, dressed in his wool jacket over his perfectly tailored designer tuxedo with a bouquet of lilies clutched in one of his hands.

"What's this all about?" Nate was caught off guard by the young man's presence. He certainly remembered the young man from the events he'd attended over the years, but he hadn't seen him in quite some time.

"He's Charlotte's date," Aiden smirked, knowing the news would get a rise from his godfather.

"Wait," Nate rose to his feet as the surprise hit him, "You're Charlotte's date…Little Eddie Fraser is Charlotte's date. Chuck, man, did you know about this?"

"I've been made aware," Chuck bobbed his head as he went to shake Eddie's hand.

"When the hell did this happen?" Nate was completely stunned by his best friend's apparent acceptance of this new development.

"Awhile ago," Aiden rocked on his feet, eagerly anticipating the show he had a front seat for. His uncle's neck was a deep shade of red, which usually meant he was about to blow. It was typically an entertaining few minutes.

"Stop with the music already, Brice," Nate snapped at Brice before turning his attention towards Eddie, "What the hell are you doing dating Charlotte?"

"That's between me and Charlotte," Eddie responded calmly.

"Like hell it is!" Nate hollered, "You're too old for her."

No one dared point out the irony of Nate having dated women with age differences much greater than what Eddie and Charlotte had.

"It's only six years, Uncle Nate," Aiden chimed up.

"Stay out of this, Aiden," Nate growled at his youngest godson before turning towards his best friend, "Why the hell did you allow this?"

"Allow this," Charlotte emerged from the elevator. Her smile faded immediately upon hearing her godfather snarling. She entered the living room ready for a fight, "Dad has no say in who I choose to date, and you sure as heck have even less."

"Charlotte, you look beautiful," Eddie took in her radiant appearance despite the scowl on her face targeted at her godfather. Her dress was emerald in color, nearly matching his eyes. Her long, brunette hair was up in an elegant knot with several stands curled and framing her face.

"Thank you," she smiled and accepted the flowers he extended towards her. "You look quite dapper yourself."

"Enough of this," Nate groaned and motioned between the pair, "This is not happening."

"You need to grow up, Uncle Nate," Charlotte advanced on her godfather after passing off the flowers to her housekeeper, "You're in no position to give me dating advice considering your date tonight is Aunt Serena, and for half of my life I've been your plus one to nearly every event you've ever attended. I do not need your permission to date anyone, and as far as me and Eddie is concerned…this is the best relationship I have ever been in. You can either deal with it or remain silent."

Nate was left sputtering for a response.

"Is your mother ready?" Chuck kissed his daughter's cheek after commenting on how beautiful she looked. He was quite proud of her for standing up for herself, even if it was against his best friend. If he was honest, some of the words to come out of his best friend's mouth were thoughts he too was having, but he knew he couldn't say them. His daughter was happy. Anyone could see it.

"Yes, she was just steaming Aunt Serena's dress. It got a bit wrinkled in transit," Charlotte nodded, continuing to stare down her godfather. "The doorman called to let us know the cars have arrived. I came down to tell you guys to get your coats."

"Why don't you and Eddie take the first car with Brice, Aiden and Collette," Chuck suggested, "Your mother and I will come along with Nathaniel and Serena when the dress crisis has resolved itself."

"Good idea," Charlotte bobbed her head before disappearing into her coat closet to find her cloak. She took a deep breath to calm herself down from her confrontation with her uncle before she emerged. She'd been so excited to see Eddie's face upon seeing her dress, and her uncle had to go and ruin it.

Eddie helped her slip into her cloak. His eyes showed his concern. She touched his chin affectionately and gave him a breathtaking smile.

Brice had gone up to his parent's home retrieve his girlfriend with the promise they would meet up in the lobby.

Charlotte shot one more look at her godfather before being coaxed onto the elevator by Eddie and Aiden.

"How the heck did you let that happened, Chuck?" Nate went on the attack once the elevator door slid closed.

"She's happy," Chuck responded calmly, "Edward Fraser is one of the best young men I know. He treats Charlotte the way she deserves to be treated. I'd be a fool to get in the way of that."

"So you just sit back and do nothing as she dates this boy," Nate growled.

"I don't know exactly what it is you want me to do," Chuck replied.

"Send him on assignment to Siberia!" Nate exclaimed.

"Is this how I've sounded about Charlotte's dates in the past?" Chuck studied his best friend for a few moments, "I suddenly find myself needing to apologize to my wife, my daughter, and my assistant for my past behavior."

The pair road up to Chuck's penthouse where Blair and Serena were ready to go.

"What's he all snarly about?" Serena caught the look on Nate's face as he went to grab his coat.

"He found out about Charlotte and Eddie and didn't take it well," Chuck explained.

"I think it's wonderful," Serena gushed, "She just glows when she talks about him."

"You're an enabler," Nate growled while helping her with her wrap, "He's too old for her."

"You're a huge hypocrite," Serena snarled, "You date women nearly as young as Charlotte with an alarming frequency. Why is it okay for you and not her?"

"That's completely not the point," Nate sputtered.

"Who knew Serena would be the one to put Nate in his place tonight," Blair muttered under her breath to her husband as he ushered her towards the elevator.

"You look beautiful, Blair," Chuck whispered in her ear.

"You look quite dapper yourself," Blair caressed his cheek.

"Your daughter said the same thing about her date for the evening," Chuck laughed.

"She had to learn it somewhere," Blair leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

"Ready?" Eddie asked Charlotte as the car pulled to a stop outside the gala. Brice, Collette, and Aiden had already emerged and were facing the gauntlet of flashbulbs.

A line of photographer eagerly waited on the red carpet to get their shots of who came with whom. There would be another line of photographers inside the venue to capture the fashion. With Blair Waldorf Bass in attendance and many in attendance insistent on wearing her designs, the evening was an event to rival Fashion Week. It gave CB Fashions lots of extra exposure, not that it needed it these days. Her mother's label was one of the most desirable brands in the world.

"So ready," Charlotte bobbed her head and leaned in for a quick kiss.

Eddie emerged from the car and turned to help Charlotte out. The flashbulbs went off at a feverish pitch. Charlotte Bass wasn't nearly as high profile as her parents had been at her age, but she was still a favorite of the photographers, especially after all the drama from her workplace scandal the month prior. Many called out to her by name, hoping she'd give them something to write about the next day.

Charlotte and Eddie walked the line hand in hand, stopping regularly to allow the photographers to get their requisite photographs of the couple. They stood close enough to make it clear to the paparazzi that they were together, however, they didn't answer any of the questions. The media coordinator was responsible to field questions so the guests could enjoy their evening. The most asked question was who Charlotte's escort was.

Finally reaching the end of the line, Charlotte noticed Eddie release a sigh of relief. He wasn't nearly as comfortable with the attention as she was.

"It wasn't so bad, was it?" Charlotte stroked his chin as he helped her remove her cloak and hand it to the coat checker.

"We're not done yet," he motioned towards the second line of photographers.

"Go on with Brice and Aiden," Charlotte encouraged him, "That's the fashion line. They really only care about the dresses. Collette and I will meet you inside."

"Are you sure?" he hesitated.

"Positive," Charlotte and Collette linked hands and stepped into the spotlight. Having the pick of the designs because of their familial connections, Charlotte and Collette's dresses were clearly the trendsetters of the evening. The men were able to slip past mostly unnoticed. The pair worked the cameras and angles with practiced ease. Collette had been dating Brice since high school, so she was as accustomed to the circus of this evening as Charlotte. The pair always walked the fashion line together.

Inside the ballroom, the quintet retrieved drinks and began mingling with the guests.

"There you are, Sweetheart," Eugenia greeted her son with a kiss to his cheek, "I see you survived the gauntlet."

"Only mildly blind as a result," Eddie chuckled while squeezing Charlotte's hand, "Seeing spots is completely normal, right?"

"It wasn't that bad," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You only went through one line. I went through two, you big weenie."

Eugenia couldn't help the laugh to escape at her son's expense.

"Appreciate the support, Mom," Eddie responded dryly.

"What are Justin and Abigail doing tonight?" Charlotte asked.

"Relaxing on the sofa in sweats, watching some Christmas classic, I suspect," Eddie chuckled.

"How come they got to stay home, yet I had to dress up in this thing?" Aiden moaned as he pulled at his bow tie.

"Because they're last name isn't Bass," Collette snickered, "It's not that bad, Aiden."

"And Dad only said you had to stay until after dinner," Brice chimed in.

"Who knows, maybe you'll find culinary inspiration in the menu," Charlotte offered.

"Doubtful," Aiden sipped at the ginger ale in his hand. He was mildly disappointed not to be able to partake in some champagne as he would be allowed at private celebrations with family, but he wouldn't make a scene. He was legally underage, so he understood. This event was for the Bass Industries Charitable Foundation. He wouldn't bring negative attention to the charitable organization. They did too much great work.

Charlotte snickered and then rolled her eyes. She could see her little brother was drawing admiration from the younger females in attendance. She didn't exactly blame the women. Both of her brothers were handsome men. Brice was obviously spoken for, but Aiden was as unattached as they came. His trust fund ensured he was never without options.

Eugenia spotted Blair and Chuck entering the ballroom. All eyes naturally fell to the power couple who reigned over the city. She reached into her clutch for the notecards of her boss's annual speech, "I'd better give the boss his notes. We wouldn't want him to look like a fool this evening."

"I'd pay good money to see that, Genie," Aiden snorted.

"So would I," Brice laughed along with his brother.

"Your boys want to see you make a fool of yourself," Eugenia approached her boss as she handed over the notecards.

"Is that so?" Chuck accepted the cards with a laugh and then pocketed them in his suit coat.

"I wouldn't mind seeing it myself," Blair kissed her husband's cheek.

"Fortunately you pay me well enough to ensure that never happens," Eugenia chuckled.

"Someday Charlotte is going to be the one to give this toast," Blair smiled wistfully as she glanced at her daughter, who was making the rounds with Eddie at her side. She was clearly charming all those she interacted with.

"Maybe next year I let her give this toast," Chuck thought out loud as Eugenia left them to mingle with another guest.

"You're getting ready to move her up, aren't you?" Blair caught something in her husband's eyes, "She's only been in her department for four months, Bass, and she was put on paid leave for a couple of those weeks."

"I'm not so much as moving her up as moving her on," Chuck clarified, "She knows what happens in Acquisitions. It's time she learn another department."

"Chuck, she needs to gain confidence," Blair gentle scolded her husband, "Yes, she's doing well in her job, but there is more to a career than just being able to do the work. She's making friends, connections. She's going to need them as she climbs the ladder. Don't take that away from her."

"I want her in my office," Chuck confessed, his forehead pressed against hers.

"Because she's ready or because you want to protect her?" Blair stroked his cheek affectionately.

"A bit of both," he confessed.

"Give her another year," Blair suggested. "There is no rush. You've still got a few years to impart your wisdom on her."

Chuck's eyes followed his daughter for a few more moments. "God, she looks so happy."

"Eddie's good for her," Blair agreed.

"I don't think I'm ready for where their relationship is going to end up," he confessed, "I'm not ready to take that walk with her."

"You will be," Blair saw the tears welling in his eyes, "I know you, Bass. You will do anything to make her happy, even if it means talking a long walk down the aisle to hand her off to another man."

Chuck felt his heart stutter at the thought. He couldn't help sometimes seeing her as the little girl who would be waiting anxiously at the elevator, waiting for him to get home from a meeting at the office, ready to shower him with kisses and beg to be read some sort of story.

"Mister Bass, it's time for your speech," Eugenia approached.

Chuck released a slight nod, doing his best to reign in his emotions as he was led to the stage by his assistant as everyone else took their seats at their assigned tables.

Chuck took a deep breath as he pulled his notecards from his jacket pocket and set them on the podium as the noise volume lessened and lessened until practically a pin drop could be heard.

"Good evening, everyone," Chuck began, "Thank you all for another successful year at Bass Industries and for your most generous contributions to the Bass Industries Charitable Foundation, the benefactor of tonight's gala. We are honored to be handing over a check for $2.3 million dollars to certainly be put to good use through the various charitable causes we support raised solely from this evening's festivities, which I personally will be matching dollar for dollar."

Chuck paused as the crowd broke out in applause.

"Does Dad seem on the verge of tears?" Charlotte whispered in her brother, Brice's ear, as she was sandwiched between him and Eddie at their table. Brice nodded slightly. Charlotte tossed a concerned look across the table at her mother, who was quick to give her a reassuring smile. The family matriarch wasn't at all worried her husband would lose his composure.

"I feel as though I repeat myself year after year as I congratulate all those in this room for another banner year at Bass Industries," Chuck continued on with his speech, highlighting a few of the biggest accomplishments to another round of applause.

Chuck paused to take a sip of water and wait for the applause to die out.

"As I near my thirtieth year as the Chairman of Bass Industries, I've found myself looking back on all that we have accomplished since my father's untimely death and my rapid ascension as Chief Executive Officer. I remember the first few days in the office as I stared at briefs and spreadsheets and thinking, 'What the heck am I doing here?'"

Laughter broke out from the crowd.

"Thankfully I was surrounded by many people who refused to see me fail, my sainted mother, Lily, my beautiful wife, Blair, and a handful of advisors all of whom have earned their retirements yet still grace us with their wisdom and presence at events like this. As we move into the future, with the next generation waiting in the wings, I know their ascension, though not nearly as rapid as my own, will still be filled with people who will aid in their journey and ensure their success is even greater than what the last thirty years has brought us."

Most eyes fell to Charlotte, nearly everyone in attendance realizing Chuck was speaking about her. Eddie smiled adoringly and brought her hand to his lips.

"One day, hopefully still a decade or so in the future, I will be proud to stand in the background as they take the reigns," Chuck's eyes locked with his daughter's. It was Charlotte who was now on the verge of tears.

Chuck again paused for a moment, to take another sip of water to regain control of his emotions.

"Again I thank you all for a fantastic year, and look forward to the new year approaching. Enjoy your evening and this holiday season," Chuck slipped his cards into his pocket, having not once glancing at them.

Applause broke out one final time as Chuck stepped off the stage. Charlotte was waiting for him, immediately engulfing him in a hug, a few happy tears trailing down her cheeks as she did so. She knew exactly what he was doing. He was telling everyone in attendance that he was grooming his daughter to one day take over the empire, and they had better help her succeed or be tossed aside.

"He always gives the most heartfelt toasts," Serena whispered to Nate as she wiped a few tears from her eyes before they had a chance to do damage to her skillfully applied makeup.

"When the hell did Charlotte grow up?" Nate's eyes followed his goddaughter as she returned to her seat as the wait staff emerged from the kitchen and began serving dinner.

Serena nodded in understanding. The time had flown by.

* * *

After the dinner dishes had been cleared away, Charlotte could see her youngest brother was eager to make his escape.

"No, you have to stay and dance with me at least once," she grasped her brother's hand as he attempted to make a break for it.

"If I stay to dance with you, I'll have to dance with Mom, Aunt Serena, Grandma Lily, Aunt Eugenia, and the list is only going to grow," Aiden moaned.

"Too bad," Charlotte laughed as he was swarmed by their mother and aunt, expressing the same desire for a dance before he was allowed to leave.

"I hope I'll he honored with the first dance," Eddie came to her side, his arm sliding around her waist as the tables from dinner were being moved away to reveal the dance floor.

"Depends," she looped an arm around his shoulders as she spun into him, "Do you know how to dance, Mister Fraser?"

"I guess you'll have to wait and see," his eyes sparkled as he dipped in for light kiss on her lips.

Soon the orchestra assembled, and Eddie proved himself to be more than a proficient dancer, not that Charlotte was too surprised.

"May I cut in," Nate stepped in.

"Depends on which Uncle Nate I'm going to dance with," Charlotte's eyes narrowed in her godfather's direction, "The fun loving, carefree Uncle Nate I've danced with at every one of these galas since I was a little girl, or the judgmental, hypocritical ass who revealed himself this evening…"

"I'm sorry," Nate cleared his throat before responding, "Even though you're not my flesh and blood, I still love you like you are. It's difficult to see you as the beautiful woman you have grown into when I still see you as the pigtailed, little princess who danced on my feet."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Charlotte was a bit skeptical of her uncle's sudden reversal.

"You're happy," Nate looked first to Eddie and then Charlotte, "I've been watching the two of you together since I got here. I'd have to be blind not to notice. I'm not ready for you to grow up, Charlotte, but that's my problem, not yours."

"Wow, who knew you had such a speech in you," Charlotte's eyes sparkled with mischief before she hugged her godfather.

"I owe you an apology," Nate looked towards Eddie. "Treat her right, and you and me are square. Hurt her and you'll have more than Chuck's wrath to contend with."

"I'm well aware," Eddie chuckled as the pair shook hands, "I'll leave you two to dance. I should be making the rounds with my colleagues anyways."

Charlotte allowed Nate to lead her in a dance. They swayed back and forth in silence for a few moments before Charlotte spoke, "Thank you, Uncle Nate. Your acceptance of me and Eddie means a lot."

"I know," Nate bobbed his head, "I would have appreciated a heads up though."

"Where's the fun in that?" she laughed. "Honestly, you reacted more how I expected Dad to react. I'm still not sure Eddie and I have dodged his wrath completely."

"Your dad wants you to be happy," Nate reminded her.

"I know," Charlotte nodded her head.

"Wait and see how he handles when Eddie asks for your hand in marriage," Nate teased.

"Slow down there, Uncle Nate," Charlotte felt her breath hitch, "Eddie and I aren't there yet."

"I know," he bobbed his head, "But when you are, I want to be in the front row when Eddie asks Chuck's permission, hopefully with a beer in one hand and a box of popcorn in the other."

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"You look beautiful tonight," Nate told her sincerely.

"Thank you," Charlotte smiled.

"You know the necklace you're wearing was a gift I gave your mother a few dozen years ago," Nate told her.

Charlotte touched the white diamond pendant necklace she was wearing. Her mother always allowed her to go through her quite extensive jewelry collection for events to pick accessories. There were only a few items off limits. She thought she knew the backstory on each piece in her mother's collection, but she'd obviously been mistaken. She had no idea her mother had kept anything from her relationship with Nate.

"You have good taste," Charlotte's hand went to his shoulder again.

"I can't take a lot of the credit," Nate laughed, "Your mother usually picked out the pieces she wanted and placed them on hold. I just signed the receipts."

"What was the occasion?" Charlotte asked.

"Her Sweet Sixteen," Nate replied.

"Before she and Dad were together," Charlotte realized.

"Before I went and screwed things up," Nate added.

"You two would never have been happy together, not in the way Mom is with Dad," Charlotte told him.

"I know," he chuckled, "We were just kids, but it doesn't mean our feelings for each other weren't real. I did love your mother…still do, just in a different way."

"Is that why you've never really settled down?" Charlotte asked.

"I've never settled down because I never found someone who challenged me to be a better person the way your mother challenged your father," Nate laughed.

"Maybe someday," Charlotte smiled.

"Maybe," he bobbed his head, "Just say the word, Charlotte. If Eddie ever mistreats you, I will happily put him in his place."

"I'll keep that in mind," she laughed as the song ended. She gave her uncle a hug before they parted.

"So you and Eddie Fraser," Charlotte's coworker, Hannah, saddled up next to her while Charlotte sat out the next few songs. "You have good taste."

"I think so," Charlotte smiled, her eyes searching the festivities to locate him. She saw him on the dance floor with his mother.

"So jealous," Hannah sighed, having come to the party stag with a few of their other cohorts in the division, "After the holidays, you really need to hook me up with some of your Columbia friends."

"Deal," Charlotte laughed.

"So your dad's speech…" Hannah began, "It was basically had a don't mess with my daughter or you'll be messing with me vibe to it."

"Yeah, it kinda did," Charlotte agreed.

"I've been in Acquisition for a couple of years. You're the first person I've seen come in and really hit the ground running," Hannah offered, "And I don't say that to suck up to the next CEO of Bass. I mean it."

"Thank you for that," Charlotte smiled.

"Do you think you and I could maybe do a couple of happy hours after the office reopens?" Hannah asked, "I'd really like to get to know you…God, that sounded really lame."

"It didn't," Charlotte laughed, "I'd like that too."

"Who's the dark eyed guy dancing with your Aunt?" Hannah asked.

"Aiden's still here?" Charlotte was taken aback to see her younger brother dancing with Serena, "That's my brother, and no, he's off limits."

"Too bad," Hannah frowned briefly, "So both brothers are off limits. Anyone else?"

"Just Brice, Aiden and Eddie," Charlotte laughed, "Everyone else is fair game."

"Excellent," Hannah's eyes scanned the crowd looking for a potential target.

"Oh and my Uncle Nate," Charlotte was quick to add.

"He's cute and all, but way too old for my taste," Hannah assured her.

"Please tell him that if he hits on you," Charlotte laughed out.

Hannah laughed along with her as Eddie approached.

"Mind if I steal my date away?" Eddie asked Hannah as he dropped a kiss to Charlotte's bare shoulder.

"Not at all," Hannah smiled as she watched the pair make their way to the dance floor. It was clear to anyone who saw them together how much they cared for each other.

"Do you have any single friends I could fix Hannah up with?" Charlotte asked her date as they sway in rhythm to the music. "She keeps asking if I could fix her up with my Columbia friends, but maybe she could do better with someone a few years older and more mature."

"I have a couple," Eddie laughed, "Maybe after the holidays we should have a dinner party."

"That's a really good idea," Charlotte smiled.

The pair continued swaying until Eddie felt a tap on his shoulder. There was really only one other person Charlotte wanted to dance with this evening she hadn't yet, her father. "My apologies, Mister Fraser, but there are some holiday traditions I still insist on."

"I can't argue with the boss," Eddie graciously stepped back to allow Chuck to take his daughter into his arms.

"I thought you were going to start crying during the middle of your speech," Charlotte confessed as the pair began their dance.

"I thought I might too," Chuck laughed, "Did I do okay?"

"You did wonderful, like always," Charlotte looked adoringly at her father, "You know you can do no wrong in my eyes."

"Not entirely true," he chuckled, "But I appreciate your support…I have a confession. The things your godfather said to Eddie this evening, I've had those thoughts in my head."

"You wouldn't be my dad if you didn't," Charlotte continued to smile adoringly at him, "I know me growing up and getting into a serious relationship isn't easy for you. You've been the most important man in my life my entire life, and I know you've taken great pride in it. I'm always going to be your little girl, but this little girl grew up and needs to have a life of her own. Some day you're going to have grandchildren and great grandchildren, and they are going to be the luckiest kids in the world because you will dot on them the same way you did with me, Brice and Aiden."

"You're trying to give me a heart attack, aren't you?" Chuck laughed.

"Maybe I want the same rapid ascension you had," she teased him.

Chuck released an amused chuckle from deep within his throat, "Sometimes you're more like your mother than I can handle."

"Compliment or criticism?" she raised a curious brow.

"Both," he laughed again.

"I know what you were trying to do with your speech," Charlotte's eyes turned serious, "You're trying to protect me without it being obvious."

"I'm preparing our company," Chuck amended, "I told your mother I'd like to move you out of Acquisitions."

"Already?" Charlotte felt something drop in the pit of her stomach. "I'm still learning the ropes. Is this because of what happened with the false accusations?"

"Charlotte, your role in the company right now is a bit tricky," he admitted, "There is no real playbook for how to train a CEO. When Lily began my preparations after Bart died, I simply shadowed a few departments for a couple of weeks and then took possession of my office. I'm giving you a bit more time, but you will be joining the executive team sooner rather than later."

"Why the rush?" she asked, "You aren't retiring for another fifteen, twenty years…right?"

"I have no plans to go anywhere for the foreseeable future," he assured her, "I want to move you up because I believe in you. Remember when you were on suspension and you came to my office for lunch?"

Charlotte nodded slowly, curious where his thoughts were heading.

"We discussed a potential acquisition, and you told me to pay for the technology not the company. After further analysis by my team, they agreed with your assessment, and we made the deal. You have good instincts. I want to tap into those. I want to work with you, side-by-side."

"And Eddie?" Charlotte asked, "What's his path? He's headed for the executive offices too. If we're colleagues, we can't be involved."

Chuck swallowed hard, "We'd find a way around it, if Mister Fraser is in your long term plans."

"This is a lot to process," Charlotte admitted, "Do I get any say or are you just going to move me when it works best for you?"

"I will not move you without your approval," Chuck assured her. "Take some time to think on my offer. Nothing has to be decided right this minute."

Charlotte bobbed her head.

Out of the corner of Chuck's eye, he saw his youngest son finally managing to slip out of the ballroom. "Looks like Aiden's had enough of the festivities."

"He's going to be so mad I made him stay to dance with me," Charlotte laughed as she too watched Aiden's great escape.

"No madder than he is at me for making him come to this event in the first place," Chuck laughed with her.

"Maybe next year you hire him to cater the event," Charlotte suggested, "He'd be more interested in attending."

"He's blowing through his classes," Chuck admitted, "He's almost too ambitious with his coursework."

"Reminds me of someone," Charlotte pretended to ponder her words, "Oh wait, all of us. I almost feel like the dunce of the trio. It took me four years to get my degree. It took Brice two and a half…Aiden is so set on opening his own restaurant, he's going to blow through his schooling in a year and a half."

"Unlikely," Chuck snorted, "But he's applying himself in a way your mother and I have never seen."

"He was bored in prep school, Dad," Charlotte offered an excuse for her brother's poor grades at Saint Jude's. "He's a lot like you in that he wasn't being challenged in the way he needed to be. CIA is giving him the knowledge he needs. You wait. In a few years, he's going to be the rising star in the culinary scene, and you will need to expand the empire to take advantage…Speaking of expanding the empire, why haven't you expanded yet into the wine business for Brice?"

"It's quite tempting," Chuck admitted, "Your mother and I are already silent partners in your grandpere's vineyard. I guess I don't want to compete with their label, and your grandfather certainly wouldn't appreciate me stepping in and taking over operations. Brice's current career path will set him up well, and when Harold and Roman are ready to retire he'll be ready to take over, hopefully with the assistance of a good vineyard foreman. I don't think your mother will be too thrilled to have him move back to France."

"No, definitely not," she laughed.

"I think I've taken up enough of your dance card for the evening," Chuck realized the third song was ending, "I'm sure Mister Fraser would like his date back. You will think about my offer, won't you?"

"Yes," she bobbed her head before leaning in to kiss his cheek, "Thank you for the dances, Daddy."

Chuck brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly before passing her back to the eagerly waiting Mister Fraser.

"You two looked to be having some serious conversations," Eddie took Charlotte into his arms and immediately began to sway in time to the music.

"He wants to move me on from Acquisitions," Charlotte's hand at his shoulder migrated to the back of his neck, where she gently began to stroke the short hairs at his nape.

"So soon?" he asked. Though they'd been working in separate divisions, so far they had both fallen under the Acquisitions umbrella. It would be weird not having her in the same meetings anymore or a few hallways away where he could pop in for a quick lunch.

"I guess his ideas of grooming me for his job are a bit different than my own," Charlotte replied. "I don't know that I want to leave Acquisitions, at least right now. I'm finally starting to feel comfortable. Octavia is an amazing manager. I'm getting along with my coworkers. I'm doing good work. You even said Octavia will be a good mentor for me. Why should I move on from that?"

"Octavia will be a good mentor for you, but she doesn't have to be your manager to do so," Eddie replied, "Your father may be onto something. You should move on before you get too comfortable."

"And what about you?" she asked.

"What about me?" he asked.

"I move on and you just stay still?" she asked. "Dad told me that if I hadn't chosen to join the company, it would be you he's grooming to take over as CEO."

"I don't need the penthouse office," Eddie assured her, "A corner office on the same floor would be just fine with me."

"And you'll be okay if one day I'm your boss?" she pressed.

"Do you think I haven't already given this some thought?" he asked, "Charlotte, your career trajectory has been mapped out since you were a little girl coming to the office with your father for board meetings. I've never once aspired to be the CEO of Bass Industries because I knew the role was unachievable. I'm okay with that. As for what may happen in the future if our personal relationship evolves beyond what it currently is…"

"We get married," she knew he was tiptoeing around the words because she'd freaked out about them previously.

"If we get married, we'll figure out a way to coexist professionally," he told her.

"How?" she challenged him.

"I don't know," he admitted, "We do have the benefit of having time on our hands. Your dad is a few years away from handing over the reigns, and you and I are a ways away from making a decision about our romantic relationship."

Charlotte glanced over at her brother and his soon to be fiancée. They were gazing adoringly at each other. For the first time really, she wanted to be as settled as they were.

"Charlotte," Eddie gently turned her gaze towards him. He saw something in her eyes he couldn't identify. "What is it?"

"Brice is going to ask Collette to marry him on Christmas Eve," Charlotte admitted, "I'm so happy for him and Collette, I really am, but I'm also so incredibly jealous. You and I have only been dating for a few months, so it's too soon to even have that discussion…"

"And last time we spoke on it, you weren't ready, didn't think you'd be ready for awhile," he added.

"Maybe I didn't think I was supposed to be ready," she bit her lip nervously. "My parents had this big, long, drawn out courtship. They knew everything about each other well before they ever thought of getting engaged. Brice and Collette's relationship is a lot like theirs. I guess I thought I was supposed to have that too, but being with you…it's wonderful and exhilarating and scary as hell."

Eddie could help chuckling at the last bit. "For me too."

"When I'm with you, I feel cherished and safe and…" she trailed off.

"Loved," his emerald eyes penetrating hers.

Charlotte's breath hitched as his proclamation hit her. "You love me?"

Eddie could only bob his head, the nerves he was battling at the moment rendered him speechless. He was taking a huge emotional risk. It was entirely too soon to be saying the word out loud, but the moment felt right. He could only hope he wasn't misreading the moment.

A tear slid down Charlotte's cheek as the realization hit her. "I thought I was alone in this. I thought I was crazy to be feeling like this already…I love you too."

Charlotte's words hit Eddie right in the gut. He was visibly startled when they registered. It was like the air was knocked out him and then all at once a new breath of air was upon him. He still couldn't find the words, so he had to settle for an action. He cradled her head reverently in his hands as he angled his lips to press against hers.

When they pulled away a fractional bit, their eyes were swimming with happiness. Slowly, gently he pressed his lips against hers again. They were in a crowded ballroom with at least a hundred of their colleagues and close family, so their affection had to be reigned in slightly.

"I love you," Eddie whispered in Charlotte's ear when they pulled away and engulfed each other in a hug. He needed to say the words again, maybe even a hundred more times. Hopefully if he did, she would see the magnitude of his feelings.

Charlotte hugged him tighter, tears spilling down her cheek. The moment felt surreal. Never in a million years did she think their proclamations would be first uttered in a ballroom full of colleagues and family. She desperately wanted to be alone with him.

"Come with me," Eddie took her hand, apparently suddenly able to read her thoughts as he pulled her from the ballroom into an unused corridor.

Once alone, Charlotte was suddenly backed up against the nearest wall as Eddie was kissing her with everything he had in him. She felt her legs turn to jelly with the intensity of his kiss. Never in all her life had she been kissed the way Eddie was kissing her. It sent a tingle up and down her spine. The kiss took on a life of its own until they each needed to pull away for some air.

"Wow," Charlotte breathed out, her hands anchoring at his shoulders so she wouldn't fall to the ground. "You've been holding out on me."

Eddie chuckled as he laid a gentle kiss at her bare shoulder.

"Wow," Charlotte repeated. Her eyes fell closed as the last few minutes replayed over in her head. Without a doubt it was the most romantic few minutes of her life.

"I've been wanting to say those words for awhile now," Eddie's forehead came to rest against hers.

"How long?" she looked through hooded eyes to see the sincerity in his.

"Since the Hamptons," he admitted, "That first night we sat on the beach watching the sunset, you were sitting in my lap. You had such a glow about you. The feeling just hit me. I didn't say anything because I didn't want…don't want to rush you."

"I don't feel rushed," she smiled, "I feel loved."

"You are loved," he caressed her cheek tenderly.

"So are you."

"We'd better get back to the ballroom before we're missed," he spoke reluctantly.

Charlotte released a heavy sigh but nodded in agreement. It was far too early in the evening to just disappear, however much they wanted to. For better or worse, she was Charlotte Bass, the future CEO of Bass Industries. Her attendance for the duration of the evening was mandatory.

Just before they reentered the ballroom, Charlotte pulled back. "Go on ahead. I need to get some air."

"Are you sure?" he hesitated, "I can come with you."

"No, go in," she caressed his cheek. "I'll only be a couple of minutes."

"Okay," his head nodded a few times before releasing her hand.

"Where's Charlotte?" Collette pounced on Eddie when he returned to the ballroom. She'd watched them make a hasty exit and was a bit worried, especially since she'd seen a few tears on Charlotte's face a few moments before.

"She needed some air," Eddie explained.

Collette didn't even make a response. She immediately bolted from the room.

"There you are," Collette found Charlotte several minutes later on the balcony of the hotel. "Eddie said you needed some air. Is everything okay?"

"Lettie," Charlotte turned around in surprise, "Oh my god, you scared me."

"I was worried. You and Eddie were dancing. You appeared to be having an intense few moments, you were in tears, and then suddenly you both were gone," Collette explained. "Are you and Eddie okay?"

"He told me he loves me," Charlotte gushed.

"What!" Collette gasped.

"We were talking about our careers at Bass and suddenly the conversation shifted, and he told me he loved me," Charlotte's smile was impossibly wide.

"And what did you say?" Collette asked.

"I love him too," Charlotte replied.

"Wow, Charlotte that's really great," Collette hugged her. "Doesn't really explain why you're out here though."

"You're going to think this is really cheesy, but one of my Christmas gifts to Eddie this year is me…" Charlotte began, blushing a bit as she spoke.

"You," Collette was a bit perplexed for a moment until she understood what Charlotte was trying to tell her, "You wanted to sleep with Eddie for the first time on Christmas."

"It was easy to wait a few days when I didn't know the level of our feelings, but now…"

"You want to tear off his tux and just have your beasty way with him," Collette teased.

"Yes!" Charlotte laughed.

"You could always offer up an early Christmas gift," Collette suggested.

"Yeah, but it's complicated," Charlotte released a heavy sigh, "Devon's back there, and it's just going to be weird."

"He's still going to be there on Christmas," Collette replied.

"Actually he's not," Charlotte shook her head, "Brice is right. Devon can't stay with me anymore. It's not a good situation. The longer he stays the more he'll try to weasel Eddie out, and that's just unacceptable, especially now. I talked to a friend of ours from Columbia this afternoon. He's got a couch Devon can sack out on until he's on his feet. I just need to get up the courage to tell Devon."

"Brice said you argued about that very thing this morning," Collette stated, "Why the reversal?"

"I was mad Brice was practically demanding I tell Devon to take a hike," Charlotte sighed heavily, "I've never liked it when he told me what to do."

"Yeah, he does have that way about him at times," Collette laughed, "I usually just scowl at him until he relents. It's usually pretty quick."

"Yeah, I was pretty much doing the same thing when Eddie found us in a stare down," Charlotte smirked.

"Do whatever is right for you and Eddie," Collette suggested, "Brice and I can run interference with Devon tonight if you want it to be 'the night' with Eddie."

Charlotte gave the idea a bit of thought. "No, it's not 'the night'," Charlotte decided, "I want our night to stand on its own. Tonight should be just about us being in love."

"And if Eddie has different ideas?" Collette asked.

"Then I'll get you to run interference with Devon," Charlotte laughed.

"Come on, it's cold out here. Let's go back inside and let our dates warm us up," Collette pulled Charlotte back into the venue.

"You won't tell Brice about my plans, will you?" Charlotte asked as they walked the hall on the way to the ballroom.

"Oh god, I'm not that dense," Collette gave Charlotte a look, "There are some things Brice just doesn't need to know about his sister, and there are some things you don't need to know about Brice."

"Totally agree," Charlotte hugged Collette around the shoulders, "I'm really going to like having you back in the city at the end of next term."

The duo returned to the ballroom, and their dates immediately drew them back to the dance floor.

"Everything okay?" Eddie held Charlotte as close as was acceptable for the occasion, chasing away the lingering chill from her few moments outdoors.

"Yeah, everything is perfect," she pressed her lips against his as they continued to dance.

* * *

The limo ride back to their building was quiet. The quartet were exhausted from the evening of mingling and dancing.

Charlotte was snuggled in tight against Eddie, with his arm around her shoulder. Her head was resting against his chest. She was nearly asleep. He wondered if he was going to have to carry her inside.

Pulling up in front of the building, Brice and Collette exited before Eddie, who quickly turned to help Charlotte from the vehicle.

"You're practically dead on your feet," Eddie observed as she slipped the doorman her standard tip, "Are you going to make it upstairs?"

"You may need to be chivalrous," she smiled as his arm came around her waist to offer his support.

"Whatever you need," he kissed her temple as they approached the elevator waiting to take them up to Charlotte's penthouse.

Stepping off, several male voices filtering into the entryway.

The quartet looked at each other in surprise before Charlotte advanced to investigate. What she found put her in quite a rage. Devon was apparently hosting a poker game with some buddies. There were empty cans of beer littered throughout the dining room, and a cloud of cigar smoke hung in the air.

"What the hell is this!" Charlotte exploded.

"Uh, Char Bear," Devon rose from his seat, "A few of my buddies and I decided to have a poker game. I didn't think you'd mind considering you were balling it up."

"Mind? Why would I mind?" Charlotte snarled, "It's only my house and my dining room with people I've never met. Get them out of here, right now."

Devon didn't need to say anything as his buddies quickly gathered up their winning and ran for the elevator as quick as they could.

"I'm so sorry, Charlotte," Daniella entered the dining room, "I insisted they leave but…"

"No, this isn't your doing," Charlotte halted her housekeeper's apology, "Devon, what the hell?"

"It was just an innocent night of cards," Devon tried to give her his most charming grin.

"Innocent," Charlotte scoffed, "Do you know how difficult it's going to be to get the cigar smoke smell out of the walls?"

"I didn't bring the cigars," Devon replied.

"No, you just brought the jerks who brought the cigars," Charlotte snarled, "You know what. It's late, and I'm tired. When I get up tomorrow, you had better have packed your things and vacated my home."

"You're kicking me out!" Devon's eyes went wide. "I have nowhere to go."

"I spoke with Donovan when we were shopping last weekend. He said you could stay with him. At the time, I told him we were all doing just fine, but this afternoon I called him again. You're on his couch for the foreseeable future," Charlotte replied, "I hope you're a better houseguest for him than you were in my guest room."

Brice was chuckling in amusement as Devon was left sputtered. "It's about damn time."

Charlotte spun on her heel and was out of the room in an instant, her housekeeper a step behind her hoping to offer another apology.

"Dani, it's not your fault," Charlotte reassured her, "Dorota has a cleaning crew on standby for big jobs like this one. Get their name from her in the morning and offer an extra bonus if they'll come first thing. I don't want that smell lingering over the holidays. Do not lift a finger yourself to clean the dining room"

Daniella bobbed her head.

"And make sure Devon is out of my home first thing in the morning. Do not make him breakfast or even a cup of coffee," Charlotte instructed her.

"With pleasure," Daniella smiled in response.

"Good night," Charlotte held her hand out to Eddie and pulled him into her bedroom.

Charlotte's temporary adrenaline rush faded quickly. She was even more exhausted than she was when she exited the limo downstairs.

"You're quite a spitfire when you get all angry," Eddie watched her cross the bedroom and plop herself down at the end of her bed, kicking off her stiletto heels. "Remind me to stay on your good side."

"The nerve of that guy," Charlotte huffed. "Ugh, I used to find him charming. How?"

"Not a clue," Eddie knelt before her and began massaging one of her feet.

"Oh that feels good," Charlotte moaned a bit louder than she intended.

"You were on your feet for quite awhile tonight," he continued to massage her feet, paying special attention to her toes, which looked a bit pinched.

"Remind me next year to wear flats," she smiled.

"Will do," he rose up on his knees to peck at her lips.

"Hmm," she hummed against his lips, her fingers touching his cheeks, keeping him close.

"Aside from the ending, this evening was practically perfect," he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I completely agree," she smiled as his fingers trailed along her bare calf. She could feel goose bumps rising on her forearms. She desperately wished she had a bit more energy.

"You look exhausted," he observed.

"I feel exhausted," her eyelids felt heavy, "But a good exhausted, the kind of exhausted which sets in after having such a wonderful evening."

"Get changed," he encouraged her, "I'll read you a bedtime story until you fall asleep."

"I'm not five," she pulled the pins from her hair, sending her curls cascading down her back.

"It won't be that kind of story," he assured her.

She bobbed her head and rose to her feet, turning her back and swept her hair off to one side, "Help me with my zipper?"

Eddie swallowed hard as her bare back was presented to him. He was surprised how much his hands shook as he lowered the zipper. It took longer than it should have, and he could see the gentle shake of her shoulders. He could tell she was snickering at his ineptitude.

"You have done that before, haven't you?" Charlotte turned her head slightly to catch his eye.

"Not with someone I've cared so much for," he kissed her cheek.

She touched his chin lightly before disappearing into the bathroom to remove her makeup and jewelry before changing into her pajamas.

Eddie was just settling into bed when Charlotte emerged from the bathroom. She immediately snuggled in against him as he opened a book. She glanced at the book's cover. "Shakespeare's sonnets?"

"Some of my favorite works ever," he kissed her temple and flipped to a specific page.

"I didn't know you were a Shakespeare buff," her head came to rest against his shoulder.

"There is still much we have to learn about each other," he began to stroke her hair rhythmically, "It's part of the fun."

Charlotte bobbed her head as he began his narration of Sonnet 18. He'd just gotten the first few lines out when her eyes drifted closed. By the end, she was sound asleep. Eddie reached gingerly for the lamp to turn out the light, carefully not to wake her. It didn't take him all that long to find a peaceful slumber himself.

 **TBC…**

How'd I do? Was it a gala worth of Gossip Girl?


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Charlotte and Eddie slept in the morning after the Bass Industries Charity Gala. When they woke, Eddie did his best to distract Charlotte from what had ended their previous evening, namely her rude ex-boyfriend's smoke filled poker party.

"Good morning," Charlotte felt Eddie's lips trail along her collarbone.

"It's a very good morning waking next to you," he brushed his lips along her cheek.

"Sap," she teased.

"Hey, you love me now," he shot her a disapproving look, "None of this sap business."

"Maybe I should take it back now that I know what a sap you are," she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Good luck," he pressed his lips against hers.

She hummed against his lips. "Let's just stay in bed all day."

"Tempting," he hovered above her, "But we'd miss out on some holiday fun."

"Oh?" she raised a curious brow.

"You planned yesterday's festivities. Today is my turn."

"I'm in," she pushed away the bed covers and motioned to get out of bed.

"No need to rush," he reached for her shoulder, pinning her under him. "It was a late night. I think we're due a bit more time of rest."

"Rest, huh?" her eyes sparkled.

"Rest," he pressed his lips against hers again.

* * *

Emerging from the bedroom a short while later dressed for the day, Charlotte could hear the commotion in the dining room. Eddie steered her towards the kitchen where Collette and Brice were sitting at the counter, sipping coffee and talking about what they'd be doing for the day. Barty was sitting at Collette's side, enjoying the rubbing she was treating him too.

"Devon's gone," Brice told Charlotte as Daniella quickly poured cups of coffee for Charlotte and Eddie. "He was chased out quite early."

"Thanks, Dani," Charlotte smiled at her housekeeper, "And thanks for getting the cleaners here so quick."

"Dorota is a miracle worker," Daniella smiled.

"Yes, she is," Charlotte smirked.

"I'm asking lots of questions and taking copious amounts of notes as I go," Daniella assured her employer. Though she'd only been with her employer for a short amount of time, she had become quite fond of her and was eager to prove her worth.

"Ask my sister for a raise already," Brice encouraged his sister's housekeeper. From what he'd observed so far, she was earning every cent she was being paid and then some.

"Hey, she's well compensation," Charlotte scowled at her brother.

"I really am," Daniella snickered and slipped away to tackle her daily tasks.

"I really like her," Collette told Charlotte as she watched Daniella leave the room.

"I got quite lucky," Charlotte nodded.

"Christmas Eve tomorrow," Collette stated, "Are the costumes all sorted?"

"Costumes?" Eddie eyed Charlotte curiously.

"Every year since we were kids, Mom and Dad have brought us to the children's hospital to bring some Christmas cheer to the sick children. When we were younger, we'd just play with the kids while Mom, Dad, and the rest passed out presents and Dad read the Christmas Carol. As we got older, we started playing parts in Santa's entourage," Charlotte explained.

"Parts," Brice snorted, "We're elves, Charlotte."

"Elves?" Eddie repeated.

"It's as atrocious as it sounds," Brice bobbed his head, "Pointed shoes, constricting green tights, the works."

"Leggings," Charlotte and Collette responded in unison.

"Leggings, tights, there is no difference," Brice scowled at them.

"You're right," Charlotte bobbed her head, "No matter how much you gripe, Mom still insists on all of us suiting up, and you'll continue to do so without complaint."

"I'm sure Mom has a costume all ready for you," Brice told Eddie. "You'll probably fill out Uncle Nate's tights quite nicely."

"Don't be silly, Brice," Collette nudged him, "I'm sure Blair has a fresh outfit for Eddie."

"How bad is this going to be?" Eddie gulped nervously.

"This is a right of passage," Collette added, "If you survive the holiday hazing, you're accepted for life."

"Is that so?" Eddie chuckled, "How'd Devon do?"

"Oh, he was never invited," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Honestly I never wanted him to be…Says a lot about what I thought of our relationship. Lettie is the only outsider who has been allowed in."

"The first holiday sets the tone," Collette laughed.

"Does it matter that I've experienced other holidays with the Bass family?" Eddie asked.

"Oh no, you've experienced Christmas Day," Collette snorted, "That's just an appetizer."

"Stop freaking out my boyfriend," Charlotte scowled at her friend, "It's not that bad."

"Says someone who has grown up with all the experiences," Collette replied, "I loved it all from the very beginning. My family wasn't big on holiday celebrations, so the Bass celebrations were a welcome change."

"My family celebrate the holidays, but not on the Bass level," Eddie replied, "We just did the Christmas tree, exchange presents, and have a special meal."

"Oh no, that's not us," Charlotte shook her head.

"I know," Eddie wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "It's an entire host of events throughout the season. I certainly enjoyed yesterday."

"It's Eddie's turn to dazzle me," Charlotte leaned over and pressed her lips against his.

"You'd better be up to the challenge," Brice replied, "Christmas is the biggest deal in our family."

"More than up for it," Eddie replied.

* * *

"Dress warm," Eddie advised Charlotte as they prepared to leave for their mysterious afternoon activity when she disappeared into her coat closet.

Charlotte selected her warmest winter coat, a puffy red one that came all the way to her knees. She rifled through her coat closet drawers to find her black and white checkered gloves and beanie to complete the winter outfit.

"Is this warm enough?" Charlotte emerged from the closet and threw out her arms dramatically.

"I certainly hope so," he leaned in and kissed her nose before glancing at her feet, "Are those boots going to be warm enough?"

Charlotte glanced at her feet and the stylish booties she had on. They were very similar to the ones she'd worn the previous day during their window display tour. They'd been out for a few hours then and her toes had been a bit chilled even though she hadn't said anything. She didn't want chilly toes to be the buzz kill today, so she returned to the closet and pulled out alternate footwear, proper wool lined, brown leather boots.

"Better," he ushered her towards the elevator.

"Where are we going? The North Pole?" Charlotte's eyes sparkled with the eagerness she felt over Eddie's mysterious plans.

"We'll save that for next year," he reached for her gloved hand and gave it a squeeze.

Emerging from the building, they grabbed a taxi and Eddie whispered their destination to the driver before settling back in the seat with his hand resting lightly on her thigh. It was such a simple touch, not even connecting with any piece of skin, but Charlotte could feel the current of electricity unlike anything she'd ever felt in her life.

"Last night keeps replaying in my mind," Charlotte admitted.

"Really, which part?" he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"The part where you said you loved me," she touched his chin with her gloved hand. "I know my parents love me and my brothers and my friends, but with you, it's so different. I feel like my heart is beating a hundred miles an hour. If this is how my parents have felt about each other since they were in high school, I don't know how they haven't keeled over from a heart attack."

"Conditioning," Eddie chuckled.

"This doesn't feel at all how I thought it would feel, and not in a bad way," she told him.

"Hopefully better," he gave her a heart stuttering smile.

"A million times better," she agreed.

They drove for what felt like forever. Charlotte started to feel a bit restless as they appeared to be driving out of the city.

"This is going to be one expensive cab fare," Charlotte told him, "If I'd known, we could have arranged for a fleet vehicle."

"Since when is a Bass concerned about money?" he teased.

"Seriously," she eyed him, "We can call for a fleet vehicle to take us back later."

"We'll negotiate when the time comes," he sent her a wink.

Pulling up to a bustling parking lot, Eddie helped Charlotte from the car before he paid the cab driver their fare.

"Are you sure we're going to be able to catch a cab back?" Charlotte watched as the driver drove off. She truly had no clue where or how far outside the city they were.

"Come on," he tugged on her arm with a confident smile. In truth, he'd already arranged for their transportation home.

Charlotte willingly followed him as he weaved them through the crowd of people. She was becoming more and more curious as they walked up to a ticket booth where Eddie quickly produced tickets he'd purchased prior to their arrival.

"You're just full of surprises today," they stepped through some sort of turnstile and through a tunnel. Charlotte suddenly gasped at the sight before her. In all it's glory, a life sized castle constructed entirely of ice was majestically lit. "What is this place?"

"Greenwald's Castle," Eddie replied, "They do this every year. I'm surprised you've never heard of it before."

Music of the season filled the air as people wandered around the alleys of shops surrounding the ice palace. The smells of hot cocoa, fresh baked cookies, and evergreen trees hung in the air.

Charlotte's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "This place is amazing. How have I not heard about this? How has Daddy not heard about this?"

"Good question," they approached one merchandise stand and browsed a bit before moving onto the next stand.

"Is the ice castle open to explore?" Charlotte wrapped her arm through Eddie's as they wandered.

"It's the reason I had you dress extra warm," he bobbed his head, "I hear it gets a bit cold inside."

"How about some hot cocoa first?" she suggested when they passed a stand selling it.

"Good idea," they got into line. When Charlotte reached to pay for the hot cocoa, Eddie quickly halted her. "This day is my treat."

"So if I find a diamond bracelet I must have, you're willing to be on the hook for it?" she raised a curious brow.

"If you can find a vendor here who sells diamond bracelets, I will absolutely buy it for you," he chuckled. He was pretty confident she wouldn't find anything close to what she was describing. The highest dollar value of anything for sale they'd found so far was a hundred dollars.

"I'm making this my mission for the day," she accepted the cup of cocoa from the vendor and took a healthy sip, whipped cream lingering on her lip. Eddie couldn't resist bending in to kiss her, making sure to lick the whipped cream away as their lips met. When he pulled away, she tugged at his jacket to keep him close. "I really like kissing you."

"Is that so," he smiled and pressed his lips to hers again.

"Really, really like it," she mumbled against his lips.

"Drink your cocoa, then we can tour the castle before scouring the village for your diamond bracelet," he pecked at her lip one more time.

"Deal," she took another gulp of the warm liquid. Though she could feel it's warming effects, it wasn't nearly as effective at warming her as Eddie's kisses.

They walked through the vendors while they finished their cocoa and then cued up to wait their turn to tour the castle.

"Not quite as spectacular as the Hamptons Castle, but quite impressive nonetheless," Eddie noted as they wander through the castle made entirely of ice.

"It's beautiful," Charlotte turned circles as she took in her surroundings, her eyes falling on the crystal chandelier. The temperature inside the castle was dramatically lower than outside. She was most grateful Eddie had insisted she change her boots. "How did you hear of this place?"

"You're going to think it's a bit silly," he chuckled, "I asked my mother to help me find a special place to take you to celebrate the holidays that you'd never seen before. She's had this place in her files for awhile in the event your father was looking for some new traditions."

"I think we should keep this as our tradition," she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hugged him.

"Deal," his arms immediately wrapped around her waist to keep her close for a few moments more before they moved on to the next room in the castle.

* * *

Leaving the village, there was a Bass fleet vehicle waiting for them. They hadn't found a diamond bracelet, but they did find a crystal ornament they had engraved with the year and their initials. Charlotte was intending to add it to the tree when she got back to her apartment.

"Courtesy of your mother?" Charlotte lifted a curious brow and motioned towards the vehicle.

"Trick of the trade," he sent her a wink without actually answering her.

"Is having your mother on speed dial a trick? If so, I have that same trick up my sleeve" Charlotte slid into the vehicle with a snicker. "This village is the perfect addition to my holiday traditions."

"Our holiday traditions," he slid in next to her. She instantly snuggled against him, enjoying the warmth of the vehicle and their shared body heat. It wasn't an overly chilly day, but as the afternoon went on, the cold began to penetrate the layers of clothes they were wearing.

"You don't have to join us tomorrow at the hospital if you don't want to," Charlotte offered.

"I really don't mind," Eddie assured her, "We used to go to a soup kitchen after dinner on Christmas Day to volunteer. I like the idea of giving back."

Charlotte beamed at him in response.

Returning to Charlotte's apartment, silence was the only thing to greet them.

"Brice, Lettie," Charlotte called out as she shed her coat and gloves. "Barty?"

"Hmm, did they say they were going out?" Eddie took Charlotte's coat and hung them both in the closet.

"Not that I remember," Charlotte frowned. "I haven't checked my phone though. Maybe they sent me a message."

Sure enough Brice had sent her a message that they were having dinner with Collette's mom and boyfriend. Barty was being entertained by Aiden in their parents' penthouse. They were supposed to retrieve him when they got home.

"Looks like the cleaners earned their money," Eddie moseyed into the dining room to see everything had been put back to rights after the previous evening's uninvited festivities. There wasn't even the fainted trace of smoke lingering in the ear.

"Thank god," Charlotte smiled, "Let's go up and see what the family is up to."

"Lead on," Eddie wrapped her arm in his.

"Hey, Barty," Charlotte was greeted by the dog when they stepped off the elevator. "Are you behaving for Mom?"

"He still likes my shoes," Blair emerged with a chewed up shoe in her hand. "It's been so long since we had a dog in the house, I forgot to keep the door to our closet closed, so I guess I share part of the blame."

"Uh oh," Charlotte laughed, "I bet Dad already has a new pair on order for you."

"I'm sure he does," Blair bent down and kissed the top of the dog's head. She was long passed being angry with the family pet. If she was honest, she missed having a dog in the house like crazy. She was half tempted to tell her husband she wanted another one, but Barty's noshing of her shoe reminded her of the responsibilities that came with the companionship. Barty loved up against Blair's calves in response. "What brings you up?"

"We came home to an empty apartment and a message to retrieve Barty," Charlotte told her mother.

"You came up just in time for dinner," Blair replied, "Are you hungry? Your brother's been cooking up a storm."

"Sure, if he's made enough for two more," Charlotte bobbed her head after a quick glance at Eddie to see if he was game.

"Let's find out," Blair wrapped her arm with her daughter and led her into the kitchen with Eddie and Barty following them.

"Hey, Char, how was the Christmas village?" Aiden asked his sister when she entered.

"Oh my god, it was incredible," Charlotte gushed, "How did Daddy never take us?"

"I think we have plenty Christmas traditions," Blair smiled. "Speaking of traditions, Eddie, would you like to join us tomorrow at the hospital? We go to the children's wing every year and hand out gifts, read the Christmas Carol and spread as much holiday cheer as possible."

"If you're sure I won't be in the way," Eddie replied.

"You couldn't possibly be," Aiden chuckled, "I've baked several dozen cookies today to bring along. Oh Mom, I checked with the nurses' station about food allergies like you suggested. Good call on that. There were a few children with some specific allergies, but I worked my magic around those. Everyone should have a few cookies they can enjoy without setting off an allergic reaction."

"Good," Blair rose up on her toes to give her tallest child a kiss to his cheek.

"Hey, Bro, is there enough dinner for two additional stomachs?" Charlotte climbed onto one of the bar stools to watch him work.

"More than enough," Aiden assured her.

"Good. I'm starving," Charlotte gave a dramatic response.

"Where's Dad?" Charlotte realized her father was missing from the impromptu family gathering.

"Shopping," Blair rolled her eyes, "Your father has waited until the last possible minute this year to do his holiday shopping."

"That's not like him," Charlotte frowned, "He probably just thought of something else he wanted to give you at the last minute."

"Perhaps," Blair shrugged. "Have you finished your shopping, Eddie?"

"Finished a few weeks ago," Eddie bobbed his head, "Thanks to the wonders of the internet. I managed to find a few moments to finish after my brother and I got a good start weeks ago."

"How is the father-to-be?" Blair asked.

"Excited," Eddie replied, "We all are. It's going to be a fun holiday next year having a little one crawling around and being spoiled rotten."

"Oh yes," Blair bobbed her head, "Christmas became a lot more special after we added children to our celebrations."

"Yes, I remember," Eddie smiled.

Blair was hit by the memories of the holidays she'd celebrated with little Eddie Fraser. Never in a million years did she expect to be celebrating with an adult Eddie Fraser who was also her daughter's boyfriend. Blair's maternal instincts kicked in as she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders. She smiled when she felt her daughter lean into her embrace. Her relationship with her children was what she was most proud of in her life, miles beyond her success in the fashion business.

"Need any help, Aiden," Eddie rolled up his sleeves.

Aiden whipped around to look at Eddie. He'd been cooking for his family for years, never once had anyone offered to help him.

"He's good, Aiden," Charlotte chimed in, "He doesn't have quite your talents in the kitchen, but he won't slow you down either."

"Is that a vote of confidence or not?" Aiden looked to his sister in confusion for a moment before deciding to give Eddie a few simple tasks, simply to gage his level of competence in the kitchen.

"Men cooking and women watching, now isn't this a switch," Blair slid onto the stool next to her daughter.

"About darn time if you ask me," Chuck entered the dining room just in time. As always, his first greeting was targeted towards his wife, laying a tantalizing kiss on her lips. Charlotte merely rolled her eyes, thankful Aiden and Eddie's backs were turned.

"Seriously?" Charlotte finally broke up their amorous moment. "We do have a guest in the house."

"With his back turned," Chuck laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"Eddie, turn around so they'll stop," Charlotte requested.

"Nope, I'm not playing that game," Eddie continued to focus on his task, "I've been around them enough to know that's a dangerous endeavor."

Chuck and Blair continued to laugh.

"Did you get your shopping done?" Charlotte decided to change the subject, "Way to wait until the last minute, Dad."

"Just a last minute few gifts," Chuck assured his daughter, "And it wasn't so much shopping as it was waiting until the last minute to pick up what I'd already purchased. I've learned not to keep gifts in the house I don't want someone to peek into. Someone has been known to give into temptation, even when they're wrapped."

Blair and Charlotte both attempted to look innocent, but they were clearly caught with their hands in the cookie jars.

"Seriously?" Eddie turned abruptly to eye his girlfriend.

"Oh yeah," Aiden laughed, "Dad took Brice and I out shopping one year. We came home and several of the gifts under the tree for both Mom and Charlotte had small tears in them, enough to give them both good ideas what they were getting. He almost took back every present."

"We learned our lesson," Blair gave her daughter a coy smile.

"Yeah, to be sneakier about it," Aiden snorted.

Chuck responded with a hearty laugh. They had a good laugh about it now, but he'd been quite mad at his wife and daughter at the time. It was one of the few times Blair had to suck up to him and shower him with thoughtful gestures.

"How's dinner coming, Bro," Charlotte slid from her chair and approached, "I'm getting hungrier by the minute."

"With my new sous chef, dinner will be ready sooner," Aiden pronounced.

"Good," Charlotte reached into the saucepan with her finger for a taste, neatly avoiding the wooden spoon seeking out to smack her hand in response.

"So impatient," Aiden scowled at his sister, "We're five minutes away from dinner. You're going to wait and like it…Go set the table or something."

"Set the table?" Charlotte repeated, "Were you raised in a different household? The table has been set for an hour already."

"Then go sit at the table," Aiden waved her away, "We'll be there when it's ready."

"I think that's your brother's not so polite way of saying – get out of his kitchen," Blair tugged her daughter into the dining room, the amusement shining on everyone's faces. Charlotte didn't for one minute take her brother's teasing seriously.

Eddie was a bit taken aback by the normalcy of conversation at the Waldorf-Bass dinner table. There was a comfortable banter back and forth, but the conversation topic itself was so mundane, so regular. It could be happening anywhere with any other family.

"You're quiet," Charlotte nudged Eddie when her parents' attentions were on something her brother was saying.

"Just taking it all in," Eddie replied.

"Not what you were expecting of a Bass family dinner, is it," she gave him a knowing smile. Her parents ears picked up their conversation and refocused their attention on the young couple.

"Are we boring you, Mister Fraser?" Blair's eyes sparkled in amusement.

"Hardly," Eddie snorted in reply, "Just a bit surprised by it all. I've always had this image in my head of what it was like to sit at the Bass dinner table, with fancy china, crystal stemware and such. I always envisioned everyone in their formal attire. Instead it feels a bit like the family dinners I grew up with."

"Sorry to have disappointed you," Blair laughed.

"Not disappointed at all," Eddie assured her, "Relieved actually."

"Relieved?" Blair raised a curious brow.

"I'd be too worried about my manners and making sure my posture was correct to enjoy the meal," Eddie replied.

"Come on, Eddie, you've eaten with us dozens of times, you know us," Blair responded.

"I guess better than I thought," Eddie bobbed his head.

Charlotte reached under the table and gave his thigh a squeeze, her eyes bright with happiness.

After their meal, Eddie insisted on doing the dishes despite Dorota's insistence it would be handled. Not wanting her boyfriend to go it alone, Charlotte found a dish towel and dried.

"You're getting so many bonus points right now with Dorota," Charlotte ran the linen cloth along the dish.

"Yeah?" he raised a brow.

"Oh, yes," Charlotte laughed, "Dirty dishes always seemed to be the bane of her existence. She was always muttering about picking up random dishes we left around the penthouse as kids, usually a few hours after the food was consumed and whatever remnants had turned to glue on the dish."

"You mean Charlotte Bass isn't perfect after all?" his eyes went wide in mock surprise.

Charlotte bumped him with her shoulder before adding, "It's smart to get on Dorota's good side. She's as important cog in in the Bass household."

"I'm well aware," Eddie smiled, "She's like family to all of you."

Charlotte set her dish aside and rose up on her toes to claim a kiss. Eddie's fingers slipped from the dish he was washing, it clanked back into the sink as he wrapped his soapy fingers around Charlotte's waist, pulling her tighter against him. Charlotte released a soft moan as her arms wrapped tight around his neck, the sparks of attraction threatening to ignite in likely the most inappropriate of places. Realizing quickly where they were and what might happen if the wrong person walked in, they reluctantly separated.

"To be continued," Charlotte muttered to herself as she picked up the dishrag and attempted to concentrate on drying dishes like he'd previously taught her rather than the hum of want coursing through her at the moment.

The pair finished their task in silence. Eddie brought Barty down to Charlotte's home while Charlotte made the rounds with her parents and brother to say their evening farewells.

* * *

Charlotte found Eddie sitting by the fireplace in her living room with Barty's head in his lap, a book at his side and pillows at his back.

"Planning a sleepover?" Charlotte joined him on the floor.

"Barty was keeping me company until you joined me," Eddie scratched the dog behind the ears, much to the dog's delight.

"Such a good boy," Charlotte kissed the top of the dog's head.

"Only two more sleeps until Christmas, are you excited?" Eddie leaned back against the pillows and pulled Charlotte to lay against him.

"Yes," she bobbed her head, "I like having you all to myself for the last couple of days, no competing priorities."

"My priorities have been completely reset," he ran his fingers through her hair. "I promise you things will be different when the office reopens."

"Good," she caressed his chest lightly, "I hated watching you work yourself to the bone."

"It was my fault," he confessed, "I was taking on more than I should at the office. I was trying to prove myself."

"You have nothing to prove to anyone, Eddie," Charlotte stroked his chin lightly, "Dad wouldn't have brought you back from London if he didn't think you were capable."

"I wasn't trying to prove anything to your father or even my coworkers," his emerald eyes bore into hers.

"Me," she swallowed hard as his meaning hit her.

"We're different, Charlotte," he bobbed his head slightly, "Bass Industries has been practically gift wrapped for you since you were born. I wanted to show you that I could be your partner when the time comes for you to take over."

"Partner," she smiled. The term suddenly made all the sense in the world. When the time ultimately did come, they could work side by side and run Bass Industries together. "Eddie, I want you to listen to me because I'm only going to say this once. You have nothing to prove to me or anyone else. You are the most amazing man I've ever met…"

"Aside from your father," he teased.

"Aside from Daddy," she laughed, "I love you."

"I love you," he ran his finger softly along her jaw, guiding her lips to his. "Here I had this entire idea about reading to you beside the fire, but now all I want is to wrap you in my arms for the rest of the evening."

Charlotte could see the desire in his eyes. She thought briefly about her Christmas gift idea and perhaps giving it to him early. What she wouldn't give for it to be Christmas Eve?

"What's on tonight's menu?" Charlotte motioned her eyes towards the book.

"I found this is a used book store when Justin and I were shopping a few weeks ago," he picked up the book, "It's a collection of classic romantic poetry. I thought maybe we could read them together."

"I love that idea," she replied.

Eddie took her acceptance of the idea to mean she still wasn't ready for their relationship to move to the intimate level. Though he was a bit disappointed, he loved her too much to complain. He opened the book and selected the first poem he wanted to read to her. They went back and forth reading stanzas to each other until Charlotte's eyes grew heavy as she fell asleep against him.

"Good night, my love," Eddie whispered into her ear after he carried her to bed.

 **TBC…**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

Eddie woke on Christmas Eve to an empty apartment. There was a note on the pillow next to his to let him know Charlotte was upstairs with her parents. Dressing for the day, he meandered up to Blair and Chuck's home to find Charlotte in her parents' dining room, eating pastries and sipping cappuccinos with her parents while discussing the day's activities.

"Hey, you," Charlotte's eyes sparkled as Eddie bent in to kiss her cheek.

"Happy Christmas Eve," he whispered in her ear.

"Trekked all the way across town just to see our daughter on your day off," Blair gave the young Fraser a teasing smiled. Though she was well aware of the young man spending nights with her daughter, she would pretend to be ignorant of it for the sake of her husband.

"What can I say?" Eddie took a seat next to Charlotte at Blair's urging and reached for Charlotte's hand, "I'm a sucker for these brown eyes."

Chuck did his best not to roll his eyes. He could see how happy the pair was, but there was still part of him that hated the idea of Charlotte being a serious relationship with anyone, and he could feel the relationship building to the moment where Eddie would sit him down to ask a very important question.

"Hope you've mentally prepared yourself for an afternoon of itchy, green tights," Aiden ambled into the room, clearly exhausted from a late night out with friends after he made his escape from the gala.

"Late start this morning, Aiden," Charlotte glanced at her watch, "Aren't you usually up early to hit the market?"

"It's the holidays," Aiden glared at his sister, "Even chefs take time off at the holidays."

"If you say so, Little Brother," Charlotte teased.

"What's he saying about tights?" Eddie asked Charlotte.

"Char, you have told him about the costumes, haven't you?" Aiden could see the slightly panicked expression on Eddie's face.

"I thought you were kidding about the tights, sort of a new guy initiation," Eddie gulped nervously.

Aiden snorted in reply.

"It's not that bad," Charlotte scowled at her brother, "And it's for the kids. You'll forget all about the constricting leggings the moment you see the kids' eyes light up."

"This is going to be bad, isn't it," Eddie looked towards Chuck, who was fighting not to outright laugh at the panicked look on the younger man's face.

"I can't lie, Eddie, yes, it is," Chuck continued to put out the straightest face he could manage, "It's those damn Waldorf eyes, these two have. You can't say no, no matter what type of hit your masculinity takes."

"What I want to know is how has Eugenia never wanted to join us," Blair thought out loud. "Volunteering is right down her alley."

"I think she volunteers her talents and time on a more regular basis," Chuck replied.

"In places which don't require the wearing of tights," Eddie added.

"Wow, the gangs all here," Brice arrived with Collette and Barty in tow, "Eat up, Eddie. You'll need your strength to face the humiliation of today's adventure."

Collette nudged Brice while adding a scowl. "You have fun every year, and don't you deny it."

"Mom, any chance you could invent some sort of alternate to tights for us men to wear?" Brice parked himself in one of the available chairs after holding Collette's chair for her.

"Not in time for this year's festivities," Blair's eyes sparkled in amusement. She used to love tormenting her ex-boyfriend with the green tights, but that amusement eventually transferred to her sons, mostly because they were such good sports about it. Had they truly pitched a fit, she probably would have conceded a long time ago. "Grin and bear it, Sweetheart."

Charlotte and Collette both had a good laugh at the groans from Brice and Aiden.

"We women wear all sorts of torturous devices to attract and keep you men interested. The least you can do is grin and bear one day in a pair of tights," Charlotte scowled at her brother.

"Eddie, your mother sent me your measurements, so your costume should fit just fine. If not, I have a seamstress on call to come do emergency alterations," Blair told the newest member of their entourage.

"I'm not worried," Eddie shrugged as Charlotte's arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Charlotte couldn't help but beam at how well he appeared to be handling the ribbing he was getting. Her brothers were really only moaning get a rise out of Eddie. They'd long ago made peace with their roles in the family's holiday tradition. They tried to do the same thing to Collette when she first joined in the tradition. Charlotte hadn't joined in.

"Are you joining us for dinner tonight, Eddie?" Collette asked as Aiden passed her the pastries. "The holiday spread is one not to miss."

"That's the plan," Eddie bobbed his head, "My family will be doing our celebrations tomorrow night." He turned his head towards Charlotte, "Will you be joining us?"

"I don't know," Charlotte paused for a beat and then with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes she added, "It's kind of late notice."

"How inconsiderate of me," Eddie chuckled.

Charlotte fingers ran through the short hairs at the nape of his neck. She could feel her father's eyes boring in on her. It made her a bit nervous. She removed her hand and put a bit of distance between herself and her boyfriend. Eddie raised a curious brow when he noticed her pull away. She did her best to give him a reassuring smile before she excused herself and headed down to her home to get ready.

"Everything okay, Babe?" Eddie found Charlotte sitting at her vanity, applying the thick, costume makeup to her face. This was the one avenue she had left where she could play a part. She knew she'd never make a living as an actress, never really even gave it a serious bit of consideration, but she did miss the thrill a bit of getting up on stage and having people hang on her every word.

"Yes, of course," Charlotte did her best to give him an encouraging smile.

"You pulled away from me at breakfast," he knelt before her.

"Daddy was staring," she set her makeup brush down, "I felt a bit weird about our affection being put on display before him. He had this look…I can't even describe it. I know my dad about as well as anyone, but there is something new about the way he was looking at me…us."

"Do you think he knows I'm regularly spending my nights here?" Eddie tangled his fingers into her ringlets of curls.

"I don't know…maybe," she frowned, "But if he really knew, I don't think he'd be so calm about it. Maybe I'm just being a bit paranoid."

"If you want to keep things mellow around your father, I completely understand," he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, not wanting to risk smudging her makeup. "Quite frankly I keep waiting for him to reach across the table and strangle me."

"He wouldn't," Charlotte grasped Eddie's hand and brought it to her lips, "He'd have to go through me, and he'd never lay a hand on me in anger."

"Nor will I," he caressed her.

"I know," she smiled, "You and your brother were brought up to be total gentlemen."

"Is it wrong to say you are about the sexiest, little elf I've ever seen?" Eddie took in her appearance. She'd already put on her red, velvet dress with white fur trim covering the flaring skirt and high neckline, and red and white tights. Her black booties with white fir trim were sitting patiently next to the vanity, waiting for her to slip into them. She had her hair in two braids, and her cheeks were extra rosy with exaggerated freckles.

"Depends," she gave him a coy smile, "Have you seen a lot of sexy elves?"

"Not until today," he scrunched up his nose in an adorable way.

"You'd better get dressed," her eyes shifted to the costume waiting for him.

"You just want to see the tights," he chuckled.

"Leggings," she corrected him.

Eddie forced a rush of air through his nostrils before he retrieved his costume and disappeared into the bathroom to change.

* * *

Charlotte, Collette, Brice and Aiden were all dressed and organizing the gifts by the elevator when a self-conscious Eddie emerged from Charlotte's bedroom. Collette and Charlotte's costumes were identical except Collette's costume was emerald green, where Charlotte's was candy cane red. Aiden and Brice were in costumes identical to Eddie's, complete with green tights and pointy toed shoes.

A low whistle suddenly cut through the chatter, courtesy of Brice. "Nice tights."

"Hey, none of that out of you," Charlotte poked a finger into her brother's chest before she advanced on her boyfriend, "You look quite handsome."

Aiden and Brice both snorted. Neither thought it was possible to look handsome in the costumes they were wearing.

Charlotte chose to ignore her brothers as she wrapped her arms around Eddie's neck, "I'd better keep an eye on you this afternoon. Those nurses are going to be following you around with their tongues wagging."

"I feel ridiculous," he confessed.

"You'll fit right in," Charlotte pecked at his lips, "We all feel a bit ridiculous."

"At least Mom has never had the thought to add pointy ears to the costumes," Aiden chimed in.

"Don't even mention that," Collette scowled at the younger Bass. She knew the family matriarch was always looking for ways to make the costume more authentic.

"I'm not that stupid," Aiden snorted.

"Come on, let's get these gifts downstairs," Charlotte pulled Eddie towards the elevator, "We're supposed to be at the hospital in thirty minutes. Dad has the van waiting to be loaded."

After years of struggling to fit all the gifts into their vehicles to transport to the hospital, Nate was the one to off handedly suggest they think ahead the next year about getting a van to transport the toys. Chuck had made note, and now every year, there was a van waiting for the gifts.

Once the gifts were loaded, Santa and Mrs. Claus emerged from the building, or rather Blair and Chuck, appropriately dressed. Eddie did his best not to laugh at the sight.

"Laugh it up, Mister Fraser," Chuck took note, "Just remember to look in the mirror first."

"Best Christmas memory ever," Eddie laughed out loud.

Once everyone was piled into the limo, they set off for the hospital and were greeted by the hospital administrator, who repeatedly professed her gratefulness for not only donating their time, but also the generous charitable donations from not only the Bass Industries Charitable Foundation, but also the Bass family. It hit Eddie like a ton of bricks. He was now a part of this family.

The children's faces immediately brightened the instant Santa and his entourage arrived. They filed into the children's wing to a round of cheers. Chuck released the merriest "Ho, Ho, Ho" and the children cheered again. The bags of toys were immediately opened and gifts were passed out and the table of cookies was set up and instantly raided. Everyone fanned out to cover as much ground as they could. Charlotte stayed close to Eddie to make sure he was alright. She needn't have worried. He was an instant pro. The children seemed to be drawn towards him. A little girl, named Sadie, especially seemed to cling to him for the few hours they were there. Wherever Eddie was, Sadie was nearby.

"She's never taken to anyone like that," a woman stood off to the side observing Eddie and Sadie together. The pair were coloring together, trading stories and laughs with wide smiles.

"Eddie's good with kids," Charlotte smiled.

"He your fella?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Charlotte proudly claimed him.

"He's a good one," the woman replied, "Sadie's mine. She's had a rough go of it. We hate having to spend another holiday in the hospital, but hopefully this is the last one."

Charlotte swallowed the emotions she was feeling. She'd been told long ago not to ask what illnesses the children had and if they were getting better or worse, if the illness was treatable or terminal, but sometimes it was a challenge.

"Leukemia," the mother offered, "She's finally responding to treatment. So long as she has no setbacks, she'll be home by Valentine's Day."

"That's good to hear," Charlotte smiled.

"We're grateful for your family's generosity," the mother replied, "Treatment has depleted all of our savings. If it wasn't for these gifts, Sadie wouldn't be having Christmas."

"We're happy to do it," Charlotte swallowed hard. It was another reminder of how fortunate she was to have the last name of Bass. She would never have to worry a day in her life about money and would always have a plethora of gifts on her birthday and Christmas, but for most people here, it was a struggle to pay their medical bills. Presents for birthdays and holidays were frivolities, which couldn't be afforded.

"Mommy, look what I drew," Sadie held up her drawing to get her mother's attention. The woman excused herself to give her daughter the requested attention.

Charlotte traded a smile with Eddie before he refocused on the little girl before him. Charlotte put on a smile and went about spreading holiday cheer, but on the inside she was crying a little bit about the predicaments of the families she was encountering.

When the children all gathered before her father to narrate "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". Eddie carried Sadie to the gathering spot, sitting her in his lap. Charlotte, Brice, Collette and Aiden set about cleaning up the cookie table as quietly as possible.

"He's seems to be enjoying himself," Collette spoke softly to Charlotte while motioning towards Eddie.

"Yeah," Charlotte bobbed her head, her eyes gazing towards Eddie and Sadie, both seemed completely focused on the story, like they were hearing it for the first time.

"You okay," Collette wrapped an arm around Charlotte's shoulders.

"This is all so overwhelming," Charlotte admitted.

"Great loves are," Collette glanced towards her own boyfriend, who was giving his brother a hand gathering up some of the wayward wrapping paper remaining from when the children tore into the gifts.

"When did you know my brother was the one?" Charlotte asked.

"When he said he wanted to move to France so he could be with me," Collette responded without a moment of hesitation, "Seventeen year old boys don't typically think that way. From the moment I told him I was going to have to move, he was insistent on it. It took me only moments to realize after he said it that I wanted it too…Are you getting that tingly feeling I got?"

"Yeah, I think so," Charlotte bobbed her head.

"My advice is not to rush into anything," Collette replied. "I had the tingly feelings when I was seventeen, and here I am three and a half years later, enjoying being with Brice and having really amazing experiences with him."

Charlotte felt herself choke up, especially knowing what her brother planned for the pair later that evening. Though she loved her brothers dearly, she had always hoped for a sister. Almost as soon as Collette started dating Brice, she and Charlotte connected in a sisterly type relationship.

When the story was finished, the family made their farewells. Eddie wrapped an arm around Charlotte's shoulders as she appeared to be struggling to keep her composure. Breaking down in front of the children was a big no, no, so she fought with everything she had to keep it together until they'd left the children's wing.

Eddie could feel in the way Charlotte was trembling against him that she was struggling. His concern was immediate. He knew just the pick me up she needed, and halted their entrance into the elevator.

"Go on ahead," Eddie told the rest of the Bass family. "Charlotte and I will grab a cab back. I wanted to show her something."

"Don't be too long," Blair gave her daughter a look of concern. She'd never seen Charlotte so emotional after this annual visit. "Christmas Eve dinner will be shortly."

"We won't be long," Eddie assured the family matriarch.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I usually don't get like this," Charlotte wiped at her eyes as she followed Eddie down the corridor. At first Charlotte thought he might be returning her to the children's wing, but he took an abrupt turn and then came to stop in front of a large picture window. On the other side were babies who had just been born.

"Your emotions are a bit raw right now," Eddie wrapped his arms around her from behind as they stared at the children being tended to by the nurses. "Opening yourself up to me is a gigantic risk, and it's opened up all the other emotions you feel, like sympathy, making them feel a bit more powerful."

Charlotte bobbed her head as she connected with one of the babies. The last name was familiar, likely a societal connection, or even a school classmate. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but seeing these babies, all healthy and just getting started in the world did give Charlotte the pick me up she needed.

"How many children do you want?" Charlotte asked abruptly.

"Oh, I don't know," she felt Eddie shrug behind her, "Two worked well for my parents. How about you?"

"I'm thinking I want at least one of each, a boy and a girl. I don't much care for which order," Charlotte replied. Suddenly for the first time she imagined what her children would look like. Her son would have red hair and emerald eyes and look just like how she'd remembered Eddie looked growing up. Her daughter would have her brunette hair and brown eyes and all the Waldorf-Bass features. The thought should have startled her, but she liked it…liked it a lot.

"Better?" he kissed her cheek.

"Yes," she bobbed her head slightly, "Thank you for this. I would have been in a funk all evening otherwise."

"We can't have that, especially at Christmas," he spun her towards him and pressed his lips lightly to hers.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Eddie," she caressed his cheek.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Charlotte," he smiled back.

 **TBC…**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

The Bass family was busy gathering all their gifts under the tree as Aiden and Eddie worked together in the kitchen to make Christmas Eve dinner. Aiden had been making the family's holiday meals for a few years now, since he was a sophomore in high school, earning higher praise each year from the family.

"Daddy, can I talk to you?" Charlotte ambled into her father's office where he and Blair were curled up together, reading. It was a pastime they'd shared for most of their relationship, one that always warmed Charlotte's heart to see. Her father was most likely trying to distract her mother from sneaking a peek at the gifts under the tree, but there was something on Charlotte's mind she didn't want to wait to speak to him about.

"Sure, Sweetheart, I'll go shake a few presents," Blair rose to her feet.

"Actually, you can stay," Charlotte pulled up a chair to sit across from her parents.

"What is it, Charlotte?" Chuck marked the page in the book and set it aside to give his daughter his full attention.

"I wanted to talk to you about this afternoon…at the hospital," Charlotte added.

"Did something happen?" Chuck asked.

"Nothing bad," Charlotte was quick to assure him, "But…umm…I was talking to one of the little girl's mothers, and it got me to thinking about how fortunate our family is – both because of our good health and the money in our bank accounts. Some of the families are so broke because of their children's illness they won't be having Christmas. That shouldn't happen, ever."

"I don't know there is anything we can do about it, Charlotte," Chuck frowned in confusion.

"Fix it," Charlotte demanded, "Donate more money so these families don't have to choose between their children getting well and paying their mortgage."

Blair gave her husband a sympathetic look.

"Charlotte, we give millions of dollars a year to that hospital," Chuck responded, "We've built so many wings, it's a wonder they having named the entire hospital after our family."

"That's not good enough," Charlotte snapped at him, "Tell them to stop building wings and to use the money to care for these patients so they don't have to pay themselves."

Chuck was about to speak, but Blair chimed in instead, "Sweetheart, we could give every cent in our bank accounts, but it's still not going to be enough to help every family."

"Can I at least help one?" Charlotte had tears in her eyes, "Sadie's family isn't going to have Christmas because she's sick. That's not fair. Every kid should have Christmas."

"You're right, it's not," Blair went to her daughter, putting her arms around her shoulders. She'd had these same emotions after they'd become parents. She'd asked Chuck to do the exact same thing. It had killed him to tell her the exact same things they were trying to tell Charlotte now. "Every family we visited today is receiving the best care possible. The endowment we established years ago helps those families with the greatest need. As hard as it is to hear the stories, we also have to look at it from the other side."

"What do you mean?" Charlotte asked.

"I'm sure Sadie is sick like her mother has said," Blair responded as gently as she could, "But there are some people out there who try to take advantage of situations like that…seek handouts where there are other alternatives. If Sadie's family is as bad off as they claim, they can apply to the endowment to help with financial costs, which would include things like presents."

"You're saying Sadie's mother lied to me?" Charlotte wiped at her tears.

"I'm saying there are people out there who try to take advantage of our generosity," Blair rubbed her daughter's shoulders.

"Char, I'll look into it," Chuck spoke up, "If Sadie's family is legitimately in financial crisis, we'll help, but…"

"But it may just be some lady trying to take advantage of a naïve elf who still has a lot to learn," Charlotte reached for a tissue to dry her eyes.

"Not naïve," Blair amended, "Caring. You have such a generous heart, Sweetheart. You have no idea how proud that makes me and your father."

"I could barely keep it together this afternoon," Charlotte confessed, "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you," Blair took the tissue from her daughter's hand and wiped at her eyes, "Sweetheart, when your father and I finally got together for good, my emotions were all over the place. It's a scary thing to open yourself up like that, make yourself vulnerable to getting hurt. Things may hit you a bit harder than they have before, but the best part is now you have someone to lean on…and from what I saw at the hospital, Eddie Fraser has some pretty broad shoulders and is fully ready to have you lean on them."

There was a grumble released in the direction of Chuck.

"Dad," Charlotte scowled at her father.

"Like it or not, Chuck Bass, your daughter is making room for another man in her life," Blair sent her husband a scowl of her own, "And don't think I haven't heard the muttering or seen the looks you've been sending Eddie's way. You need to get ahold of yourself because Charlotte's happy."

Chuck engaged his wife in a staring contest he was destined to lose. He knew he had to get onboard, but Charlotte was his princess. He wasn't ready.

"Daddy, he's really good for me," Charlotte added, batting her lashes like she used to when she was a little girl, know it was her father's Achilles heel.

"I know, Charlotte," Chuck released a heavy sigh, "And I know how happy he makes you. I'm really trying to be okay with all of this. It's just going to take some time."

"How much time?" Charlotte challenged him, "Because like it or not, Eddie and I are in love, and for the first time in my life, I really feel like I might have found something like you have with Mom, which is scary as hell, but also really, truly wonderful."

"You're in love," Chuck stuttered.

"Yes, Dad, love, l-o-v-e," Charlotte literally spelled it out for him, "I'm including him in our family celebrations in a way I've never included anyone else. Doesn't that tell you how important he is to me?"

Chuck closed his eyes to let Charlotte's words sink in fully, "Charlotte Evelyn Waldorf-Bass, all I have ever wanted for you since the moment I first held you in my arms was to be happy. Edward Fraser is about the most honorable man I could have asked for. I'm not saying I'm ready to give your hand in marriage just yet, but I am doing my best to get comfortable with the two of you together."

"And if Eddie and I spend nights together?" Charlotte's voice waffled nervously.

Chuck forced out a heavy breath, "I'm not as stupid as I look. I know you're a twenty-three year old woman. I know you've had…" Chuck couldn't force the words out. Blair bit her cheek hard to not have a good chuckle at his expense.

"Sex, Daddy," Charlotte offered up, her eyes shining with mischief. Oh how she wished she had a camera to capture the look on her father's face as she said the word out loud.

"Oh god, let's not do this on Christmas Eve," Chuck went to the wet bar and poured himself a tumbler of scotch.

"Oh Daddy, I love you, and I get that you still think I'm your little girl, but I'm really not," Charlotte rose to her feet, went to his side, set his drink down, and put her hands on both of his shoulders to have is full attention, "Eddie and I are building towards something really great. I'm not saying we're ready to take a long walk down the aisle just yet…I just want to be with him and experience life with him the same way you and Mom did before you got married."

"I know, Princess," Chuck sighed heavily.

"So when Eddie and I start having sleep overs, there will be no grumbling from you about him defiling your little princess," Charlotte stated, "And there sure as heck won't be any attempts to strangle him at the breakfast table."

"Start having sleep overs?" Chuck's eyes looked suddenly hopeful, almost relieved.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Good talk, Daddy." She kissed his cheek and left his office.

"Start having sleep overs?" Chuck repeated to himself, "They haven't had…yet?"

"I'm not even going to answer that question," Blair snickered, "I thought you were going to have a heart attack when Charlotte said the word 'sex'. She's twenty-three years old, Bass. Need I remind you, you were practically ten years younger than she is now when you first experienced sex and far less mature."

"Blair, this is Christmas. I really don't want to be discussing my sexual escapades or those of my daughter tonight of all nights," Chuck told her.

"And that other matter Charlotte brought up?" Blair asked.

"I'll look into Sadie's family's finances," Chuck assured her.

"Thank you," Blair caressed his chest.

* * *

Eddie was helping Aiden in the kitchen when Charlotte ambled into the room after speaking with her parents. She planted a kiss on his cheek before taking a seat on the stool at the counter.

"I kinda like having company in the kitchen," Aiden pulled a spoon from the drawer to taste the sauce for his holiday creation, "I love what I do, but with the rest of the family is pretty helpless in the kitchen, it's quite lonely at times."

"I can see that," Eddie chuckled, "I've been trying to teach your sister a few kitchen skills."

"Really?" Aiden snorted, "I hope you aren't giving her any cutlery. She'd likely lose a finger."

"Ha ha, little brother," Charlotte held up her fingers, "All ten, still present and accounted for."

"Impressive," Aiden smiled, "You're still not getting anywhere near my stove."

"Oh, really," she took the bait, "I seem to remember how much you like using my kitchen. Perhaps you'll change your tune if I restrict your access."

"You wouldn't dare," Aiden scowled at her, "It would be a culinary crime to not allow anyone with culinary expertise to use it."

"Oh, and you think you're the expert," Charlotte's eyes swam in amusement. She loved the playful banter she had with both her brothers.

"A heck of a lot more than you," was her brother's quick response.

Charlotte's only response was to laugh. She knew she was hopeless in the kitchen, just like her mother before her. Her father had teased her mother endlessly about her lack of skills in the kitchen. Early in their relationship, Blair had gotten it into her head that she should know how to cook for her man and attempted to make Chuck a few meals which had ended spectacularly bad. Chuck had practically forbidden her from ever stepping foot in the kitchen for anything more than a beverage. Charlotte had followed in her mother's footsteps.

No one knew where Aiden's passion and talents for cooking came from, but Blair and Chuck had encouraged his pursuits the instant he showed them as they'd done with all of Charlotte and Brice's interests as they were growing up.

"At least I can ride a horse," she tossed back at him.

"Hey, low blow," Aiden scowled at her.

"What's the story there?" Eddie inquired.

"After I had been taking riding lessons for awhile, Aiden started coming with me and Daddy. He begged for weeks to take lessons, so Dad did his homework to find the best male instructor and bought all the gear for him. Aiden was stylin' and eager to take a ride. Mom took all sorts of pictures of him in his attire, like she did for me when I first started riding. We got him up on the horse, he took one slow stroll around the arena, demanded to be taken off the horse, and never wanted to ride again. Thank god, Dad, hadn't gone through the process yet of actually buying him a horse," Charlotte explained

"Horse riding isn't for everyone," Aiden shrugged his shoulders, "Brice isn't much of a fan either."

"It worked out well for me," Charlotte shrugged, "It continued as a thing Dad and I did together."

"Were you into baseball like your brother?" Eddie asked.

"I played, but it wasn't my favorite sport," Aiden replied.

"Yeah, the shiner when you were two pretty much dampened that enthusiasm," Charlotte chimed in.

"This one I've heard," Eddie recalled, "Chuck was out of town for some executive retreat and Aiden's face caught a foul ball."

"Hey, that wasn't funny," Charlotte smacked Eddie's shoulder, "He got super lucky. He could have lost an eye."

"Charlotte feels responsible," Aiden explained, "I was playing catch with her when it happened. She hovered over me for days and days after it happened."

"And I still remember the sound of him wailing as Mom tried to comfort him," Charlotte added.

"I actually preferred water polo," Aiden turned the conversation quickly. He knew how much the memories of what happened bothered his sister. He truthfully didn't remember the entire incident, only what he was told by his mom, brother and sister.

"He was really good too. He got offered scholarships at all the top colleges in the country," Charlotte beamed with pride.

"It wasn't a difficult choice," Aiden replied, "Cooking is my first love."

Charlotte stepped towards him and put an arm around his waist, "And you're good at it."

"What are we missing?" Collette asked as she and Brice came into the kitchen arm in arm.

"Just giving Eddie some insight into our family," Aiden replied.

"Oh goodness, a potential minefield," Collette replied, "Just take it as it comes, Eddie. They have all these inside jokes I'm still trying to figure out."

"You know everything you need to, Sweetheart," Brice kissed her temple.

"Your mother is getting gift happy," Collette stated, "She keeps picking up gifts with her name on them and shaking them."

"Yep, that's our mom," Aiden laughed out. "She turned into a kid in the candy store on Christmas Eve."

"If I got half the gifts your father gives her, I would be too," Collette snickered, "Why doesn't your father just buy her a jewelry store and be done with it. She has practically everything Harry Winston, Cartier, and Tiffany has ever made."

"Dad really should build her a jewelry vault," Brice chuckled.

"He probably already has," Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Why weren't we invited to the party?" Blair and Chuck entered the kitchen arm and arm, "Whatever you're making, Aiden, it smells fantastic."

"Thanks, Mom," Aiden stirred the pan, "It's got to simmer for awhile."

"How about we all open one gift each while we wait?" Blair's eyes sparkled. Her children all snickered in response. They'd tried on numerous occasions to limit their mother to just one gift before dinner, but before everyone knew it, all the presents under the tree had been opened. It was within the last few years, their father had stepped in to dissuade his anxious wife.

"How about we watch Charlie Brown's Christmas instead?" Chuck suggested.

"No," Blair moaned and then stuck out her lip to pout.

"Not going to work, Beautiful," Chuck leaned in to kiss away her pout.

The family was all comfy in the media room when Chuck cued up the family's favorite Christmas movie. The first time they all saw it was when Aiden was three. They must have watched it four times in a row that first Christmas Eve, and every year since it was the first movie they watched.

Eddie took a moment to take in the scene when Chuck made himself comfortable next to his wife, who eagerly snuggled in against him. Brice was settled with his head resting in Collette's lap as she gentle stroked her fingers through his hair. Aiden had his head rested against Charlotte's shoulder as she snuggled into Eddie. They were all so comfortable together, and they seemed to accept him into the fold without question or hesitation.

There were times Eddie still felt like he didn't deserve Charlotte, didn't deserve to be in her world, but moments like this shook the thought away. Her family didn't give a second thought to his presence.

As the end credits of the movie began to roll, Aiden went to check on their dinner.

"I haven't seen that movie since Justin and I were kids," Eddie helped Charlotte to her feet as the rest of the family trickled out of the media room.

"Oh gosh, it's only been a couple of years since we stopped watching it two or three times in a row on Christmas Eve," Charlotte replied, "When Aiden was really young, he'd demand we watch it over and over all Christmas season."

"Aiden would run to whoever was closer with the case in his hands and his dark brown eyes opened so wide, it was impossible to resist," Blair chimed in.

"He'd pull us all into the media room and demand we watch it together as a family," Charlotte added, "As he got older, we watched it less and less."

"Thank god," Chuck added. Truth be told, he was sick of the movie altogether, but he enjoyed having the family gathered so much he never said anything.

"I love all these holiday traditions you guys have," Eddie followed Charlotte into the dining room.

"You can thank Chuck then," Blair chimed in.

"You started the traditions, Beautiful, the first year we were together," Chuck reminded his wife as he held her chair for her before taking his seat at the opposite side of the table.

"Yes, but you made them traditions. I just did them once," Blair beamed in response as Aiden came in with the holiday meal in his hands. Everyone's attention immediately shifted to praising the culinary student for his talents until everyone was so full they couldn't eat another bite.

After bringing all the dishes into the kitchen, the family migrated towards the tree and the plethora of presents all around it, wrapped elegantly in the highest quality wrapping paper. It looked so much like a Christmas card, Eddie had to take out his phone to capture it.

While he found a comfortable spot, Charlotte, Aiden, and Brice pulled out Santa hats from under tree and put them on before passing out gifts. It took quite awhile and everyone had a giant mound built in front of them, even Eddie, much to his surprise. Once Brice was settled next to Collette, Barty curled himself at his master's feet with his own Santa hat affixed to his head.

"Here's the deal, Eddie," Blair chimed in before everyone tore into their gifts, "We go around to each person once, who opens a gift from Chuck and myself. Then everyone rips into the rest."

Charlotte had already picked out the present she wanted Eddie to open and handed it to him. All eyes were on him looking expectantly. "Newest to the group opens the first gift."

"Thank goodness it's someone else for a change," Collette chimed in.

Eddie took a deep breath as he opened the first gift from Blair and Chuck. He did his best not to let his hands shake as he could feel all eyes trained on him. Once the paper was torn away, he lifted the lid to see a pair of monogrammed cufflinks, likely worth more than anything he'd ever owned.

"Wow, these are great," Eddie swallowed hard to graciously accept the gift. Every fiber of his being wanted to hand them back as he did not feel worthy, but he kept those thoughts to himself. From the look on Charlotte's face, she most definitely felt he belonged, and he loved her so much he didn't want to correct her.

"Lettie's turn," Aiden quickly took the focus off of Eddie, which he appreciated. As much as everyone teased the family matriarch about her gift receiving eagerness, he most definitely took after her, and having to wait through two others to open a gift was tough for the youngest family member to swallow.

Collette received a pair of Tiffany earrings, which had her gushing with gratitude. Aiden received a new set of knives certain to make him the envy of all his classmates when he returned to school after the holidays. Brice received a vintage set of wine corks from one of the oldest winemakers in France. Charlotte received her own pair of Tiffany earrings, much to her delight.

"Your turn, Chuck," Blair told her husband.

"After you, Beautiful," Chuck smiled.

"They do this every year," Collette leaned over towards Eddie, "It's something of a standoff. Chuck wins every year."

"Mom doesn't have the patience to wait him out," Brice chimed in before he halted his parents' playful back and forth banter, "Do you mind if Mom opens my gift first this year?"

"Oh," Blair raised a curious brow as she sifted through her pile of gifts until she found one from her son.

"Actually, I was thinking it could be this one," he pulled an envelop from his back pocket.

Blair looked even more intrigued as she slipped her finger under the sealed envelope flap and opened it. She read through the piece of paper a few times, trying to understand what exactly she was reading.

"It's a job offer," Brice explained, "Here in New York. I'm moving home."

Blair's face instantly lit up like a Christmas tree, launching herself off her chair to hug her son as tight as she could. "Really?"

"Yes, really," Brice bobbed his head, laughing at how enthused his mother was about his news, "Lettie and I have been talking about it for the past year. New York is our home. We wanted to get back as soon as we're able. I already have enough credits to graduate, so when this position came up I applied. I'll be the exclusive representative of Grandpere's vineyard here in the U.S."

"Oh my goodness, this is the best gift you could have given me," Blair hugged him tighter.

"Lettie will be finishing school this spring, and then we'll find a permanent place to settle," Brice replied, "Until then I'm hoping my sister or my parents will let me crash with them."

"I don't care about the details. All I care about is my boy is coming home," Blair hugged him a third time.

"It's gonna be hard for the rest of us to top Brice's present this year," Aiden quipped as Blair finally sat down, reading through Brice's job offer for a third time. It was making far more sense now, and she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Chuck, did you know about this?" Blair turned to her husband.

Chuck's eyes only sparkled in response. Of course he knew. It was clear Chuck was enjoying his wife's joy as much as she was. Whatever gift he opened didn't matter as much as the delight his wife was experiencing.

Once Chuck opened his gift, it was apparently an invitation for everyone to tear into their gifts. Wrapping paper began to fly. Poor Barty kept getting buried beneath a mound of it even though he pawed out from underneath the paper several times.

Charlotte had given Eddie several new items to add to his wardrobe and a tie clip meant to go with the cufflinks Chuck and Blair had given him.

Charlotte purposely waited to open Eddie's gifts until last. She began to ooh and aah at the various trinkets she was getting and so completely distracted she didn't hear the chime of the elevator or her boyfriend leaving the room. Eddie and Chuck snuck away while the rest of the family were preoccupied by the gift fest.

"Thanks for coming across town," Eddie greeted his brother and sister-in-law as they'd been kind enough to bring his final gift for Charlotte over.

"She's all bathed and ready to be shown off," Abby handed over the leashed of the golden maltipoo puppy Eddie had picked out weeks ago. Around the puppy's neck was a festive Christmas ribbon. The puppy had been staying with Eddie's parents after she'd gone to obedience training. Abby had latched onto the adorable golden haired dog the moment it pranced into the apartment, showering her with all sorts of attention and affection.

"And you're sure she'll be okay around other dogs?" Chuck was a bit nervous how this new member of the family would interact with Barty.

"Yep, Barty and the puppy have already played together," Abby smiled broadly. "They got along great. Don't worry, Mister Bass, this puppy is the sweetest thing and fully housebroken. I almost don't want to give her up."

"We'll have our hands full soon," Justin reminded his wife as he affectionately rubbed her ever growing belly.

"We'd better get going," Abby glanced at her watch.

"Good luck, Eddie," Justin patted his brother's back.

"Bye, puppy," Abby waved at the dog, "Be good. We'll see you soon."

Eddie waited until the door closed on the elevator before he lifted the final present to Charlotte into his arms and carried it back into the festivities.

"On my goodness, how cute!" Collette was the first one to notice Eddie returning with the small puppy in his arms.

Charlotte gasped as her eyes locked with the adorable brown eyes. "Oh my god, who is this?"

"This is your new puppy," Eddie transferred the dog into Charlotte's eager arms.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed a second time as the puppy immediately began licking her fingers, "You are just about the cutest thing I've ever seen." Charlotte turned towards Eddie, "I can't believe you did this?"

"In a good way, right?" Eddie sat beside her as she cuddled up with her new companion.

"In a very good way," Charlotte occupied herself by scratching behind the ears of the adorable dog.

"Don't worry, she comes with a whole host of toys and all accessories needed for a new pet owner," Eddie assured her, "I made sure Daniella was on board with the new household addition and everything.

"She?" Charlotte picked up on, "Does she have a name?"

"We've just been calling her puppy for now," Eddie shook his head, "We figured you'd want to do the honors of naming her."

Charlotte ran her fingers through the dog's soft fur, studying her for a few moments before proclaiming, "Emmaline, but Emie for short."

"Emie," Eddie repeated.

"Yep, Emie," Charlotte kissed the top of her new dog's head, her smile as wide as it could go. "What do you think, will you respond to Emie?"

The puppy yipped in reply, which caught Barty's attention as he trotted over to sniff out the new addition.

"Behave Barty," Charlotte warned the family pet as she held Emie protectively in her arms.

"Don't worry, Char, Barty and Emie are already acquainted," Brice came over, rubbing the top of his own dog's head, "When Eddie told me what he was getting you for Christmas, I suggested the two might want to get familiar with each other before they lived so close together. They got along really well."

"Oh, I just can't believe it," Charlotte kissed her new puppy again, "She's just the cutest little thing. How old is she?"

"Ten weeks," Eddie replied, "While she was being weaned from her mother, she went through obedience training. She's been staying with my parents for the last week. She's almost convinced my parents they need a dog, and I thought that was never going to happen. Even Justin enjoyed it, despite his allergy. If they weren't having a baby in a few months, I think Abby would have convinced him to get one too."

"I can see it already," Charlotte replied, "She already has the Bass charms."

The family was eager to welcome the newest Bass to the family as Emie was passed around the room with Barty following close behind, like he was keeping watch over her like the great protector.

"You and Emie are going to be the best of friends, aren't you?" Charlotte bent down to kiss the top of Barty's head before Emie was returned to her arms.

In all the excitement, Brice nearly forgot he had a final gift to deliver to his own girlfriend. Collette pouted at having to leave all the fun but dutifully suited up for the cold at Charlotte's urging.

"Don't get any cuter while I'm gone," Collette gave Emie a bit more love before she followed Brice to the elevator. Charlotte could practically hear Collette asking Brice for another puppy to add to their family.

"Don't worry, Buddy, they aren't replacing you," Aiden gave Barty a good rub down.

"This has certainly been an eventful Christmas," Blair smiled as she began organizing her unwrapped gifts, making sure none of them got tossed out with the wrapping paper Aiden was bagging up with his father.

"It's not over yet," Chuck rocked on his heels.

"Oh really?" Blair stared her husband down, "Do you have another surprise for me that's going to top the news of my son moving home?"

"Depend on how you feel about having a soon to be daughter-in-law," Chuck replied.

"What?" Blair gasped, "Are Brice and Collette engaged?"

"They likely will be when they get back from their carriage ride through Central Park," Aiden chimed in.

Blair's jaw dropped in surprise. "A new job and a fiancée, oh my goodness."

"She has to say yes first," Aiden snickered.

"She will," Charlotte rolled her eyes and swatted her youngest brother's shoulder. "Those two have been destined for this moment since they first met."

"He's a Bass who knows what he wants," Chuck gave his wife a curious smile Eddie didn't know what to make of. "When we meet the love of our life, we do everything we can to make them happy."

"Really? Is that what all that adolescent torture you graced me with? Making me happy?" Blair teased.

"I was confused," Chuck sent her a wink. They had both long ago forgiven each other for their past mistakes. Anything brought up now was merely a means to tease the other or put them in their place.

"Ignore them," Charlotte continued to cuddle with her puppy, who seemed just as anxious to be on the receiving end of the affection. "Oh goodness, I'm going to need to hire you a pet sitter."

"A pet sitter," Aiden frozen from his cleanup task, "That's not really a thing, is it?"

"You'd be surprised, Sweetheart," Blair plopped down next to her daughter and took the adorable pup into her arms, "There is an entire industry involving pet care."

"And we didn't take advantage?" Aiden snorted, "Would have been nice if someone else picked up Barty's poop every once and awhile."

"Because you had to do it so often," Charlotte rolled her eyes before turning her attentions back towards her dog. "Don't you worry, Emie, I will happily pick up your poo because you are just the cutest thing in the world."

Aiden rolled his eyes in response. He loved Barty as much as the rest of the family, but he wasn't as enamored with dogs in general. He took after his father in that way. Chuck loved how Barty brought smiles to everyone's faces, but he wasn't nearly as heartbroken when Brice took him to France as the rest of the family. Charlotte and Blair had been nearly inconsolable for days.

Blair and Charlotte took Emie down to her penthouse to give her the lay of the land while Eddie stayed behind to help clean up the mess.

"That's about the biggest smile I've ever seen on Charlotte's face," Chuck told the younger man. "How'd you know she even wanted one?"

"She mentioned it once when we passed a dog park. She talked about how much she missed Barty and about how she wanted a dog of her own, but she said she wanted a smaller dog, a fluffy dog…"

"A chick dog," Aiden chimed in, "Emie certainly fits that bill. Emie is going to be attached to Charlotte's hip all Christmas break. She'll probably even want to take it to the office with her when they open back up after the holidays."

"If it was allowed," Chuck laughed, "It's not."

"You know, she has someone wrapped around her pinky in the office who has the authority to allow pets in the workplace," Aiden reminded his father.

"No," Chuck held firm, "That's a rule I will not change."

"We'll see," Aiden chuckled.

Blair and Charlotte returned a bit later with Emie. The pup's collar had already been changed to the blinged out one Eddie had purchased which was sitting in front of the tree in her living room along with an entire buffet of other puppy trinkets needed for a new pet owner. Emie was strutting her stuff as she ambled over to Eddie, yipping and jumping like she wanted him to pick her up.

"You definitely are an attention seeker," Eddie immediately caved to her wishes, rubbing her up as he cradled her in his arms.

"How about a board game while we wait for Collette and Brice to get back?" Aiden suggested.

"Monopoly," Charlotte's eyes lit in excitement.

"How about something a bit less like work," Blair chimed in, "Trivial Pursuit?"

"As long as we play the family edition," Aiden chimed in.

"Go get the game," Blair instructed her son.

The five of them were so engrossed in the game that they missed Brice and Collette stepping off the elevator, grinning from ear to ear. The pair heard a cheer coming from the dining room and followed the sound. Blair and Aiden were sitting together, Charlotte, Eddie and Emie were on the other side of the table, and Chuck was sitting in his usual place at the head of the table. On the board were three circular game pieces. It was clear Chuck was wiping the floor against the rest of the family, even though he was at a disadvantage.

Brice cleared his throat and then asked, "Is there room for two more?"

Collette had her hand extended out to show off her new ring. Blair and Charlotte squealed with delight as they descended upon the newly engaged pair, gushing over the ring and the other details of the proposal, oohing and aahing when appropriate.

"I know it's entirely too soon to be planning because we haven't even set a date, but Charlotte will you be my maid of honor?" Collette asked.

"Of course," Charlotte hugged her soonish to be sister-in-law.

"And Blair, I'd really love it if you'd design my gown," Collette added.

"I'd have it no other way," Blair hugged Collette, more than thrilled to welcome Brice's fiancée into the family.

"Aiden, best man?" Brice asked.

"Definitely," Aiden hugged his older brother and then Collette.

"Congratulations," Chuck added before he hugged the pair.

The game was reset as Brice and Collette teamed up and they played and chatted happily about the newly engaged couple, going over details still too early to plan until everyone was yawning and struggling to keep their eyes open.

* * *

Charlotte was situating Emie in her little bed in the corner of the room. The little pup was already sound asleep. Eddie had expected to emerged from the bathroom to find the newest addition to the household sleeping in bed with them that evening.

"Looks like she's right at home," Eddie smiled at the adoring way Charlotte was hovering over her new pet.

"I can't believe you remembered," Charlotte gushed as she advanced upon Eddie, wrapped up in her festive red robe, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, pressing herself in tight against him.

"Every word," he pressed his lips to hers.

"I have another Christmas present for you," she caressed the nap of his neck with a finger.

"Another present?" he encircled her waist, bringing her in even closer, "You've already been more than generous."

"This present is for both of us," she pecked at his lips before stepping away to slip from her robe to reveal the red silk negligee she'd chosen for the night, a far cry from the usual pajamas she wore to bed.

"Charlotte," Eddie felt his mouth go dry at the sight of her in such a beautiful and seductive piece of clothing.

"I love you, Eddie," she wrapped her arms around him again, "And I wanted this Christmas to give us both the most special gift I could."

"Just being with you is enough," Eddie's hand went to her waist, anchoring at her hips.

"I love you, Eddie," Charlotte repeated.

"I love you, too, Charlotte," he felt himself getting lost in her eyes.

"Make love to me, Eddie," she whispered just before he captured her lips in the deepest of kisses. She found herself whimpering in response when he deepened it.

"Are you sure?" Eddie pried his lips away only for a moment. His forehead pressed against her, trying desperately to reign in his urges in the off chance she said no.

"I'm so ready," Charlotte brought her lips back to his, angling to take the kiss deeper as her hands trailed down his back, searching for the hem of his shirt.

Eddie felt Charlotte's hands on the bare skin of his back. The feeling of fire she was leaving in her wake erased any hesitation he was feeling. He helped her pull the shirt off his body, tossing it carelessly aside before he swept Charlotte into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her upon it gently, like a treasure he intended to savor.

Charlotte remembered seeing a bare chested Eddie Fraser many times over the years as they'd grown up, but she was unprepared for the muscular sight before her. "Where have you been hiding these?" she ran her hands along his well-defined pecks.

Eddie chuckled as he laid out on the bed next to her, allowing her to explore him, taking kisses at random moments as her fingers trailed along his chest and down his stomach, exploring the new territory she'd uncovered. She felt herself blushed when a finger slipped into the waistband of his shorts.

"Charlotte," he caressed her cheek softly, getting her to look into his eyes, "We go at your pace."

"I want this…I want this so much…I'm just a little nervous," she admitted, "I'm not as experienced, and before it was quick and…"

"Do you want me to lead the way?" he asked gently.

"Yes," she bobbed her head.

Eddie pressed another kiss to her lips and then slowly guided them through the dance. After he removed his shorts, he allowed Charlotte to get comfortable with his nudity before he removed her negligee, uncovering the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

Charlotte had never felt as treasured as Eddie loved her body with his hands and lips. He took the time to explore, find pleasure points she didn't know existed.

"Eddie, please," she felt herself about read to combust.

"Condom?" he looked to her expectantly.

"Nightstand drawer," she pointed.

Grabbing one quickly, he was gone for only a moment before he settled into the cradle of her thighs.

"Are you sure?" he caressed her checks tenderly as they lay together, skin to skin.

"I've never been so sure," Charlotte rose up off the bed to capture his lips in a deep kiss.

Slowly they came together. Eddie took his time, let her body adjust and sought out the ways to bring her the most pleasure. Charlotte was in absolute heaven as they rose and fell in perfect rhythm. She never knew being with a man could be so pleasurable. She finally understood the noises she'd heard from her parents' bedroom for all those years. They found their bliss together and then held each other close as their breaths slowly returned.

"Wow," Charlotte was the first to be able to put a coherent thought together.

Eddie pressed his lips to her collarbone, chuckling at her response.

"Wow," Charlotte repeated, her hands trailing along his shoulders, keeping him close.

"You already said that," Eddie pulled away just enough to look into her eyes. He felt an immense amount of pride at the amount of satisfaction reflected in them.

"Well, you're going to hear it again," she laughed, "Because wow is about all I have."

"I'm glad you approve," he took another kiss.

"More than approve," she replied, "We're going to spend the rest of our holiday break in bed doing that again and again."

"Oh really?" he raised a curious brow, "I think we can find other creative places for the experience."

"Oh god, I hope so," she felt so much joy at the moment, and then a thought came to her, "Was it okay for you? Did I do it right? Did I…"

"Charlotte," he pressed a finger to her lips to silence her, "There is no wrong way to make love."

"But was I okay?" she asked, her eyes dodging his in her fear of getting a displeasing answer.

"Charlotte," Eddie coaxed her eyes back to his, "I love you, and being able to finally express it physically is just about the best Christmas present I could receive, and you are the most beautiful Christmas present I've ever been given, and what I felt was the best Christmas feelings I've ever had."

"It felt good to me, but I wasn't sure. I'm still so…" Charlotte found herself still nervous.

Eddie pressed his lips to hers to silence any further words she was going to speak, putting as much emotion and passion into his kiss as he could in hopes to alleviate any remaining doubt she had.

Charlotte found herself experiencing bliss a second time before they tumbled off to sleep.

 **TBC…**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I only own the story specific characters I created. The originals belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.**

 **I know it took longer to get this out than everyone wanted, certainly longer than I intended. The past few months have gotten away from me a bit. Either way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'd love to hear what you all think.**

Charlotte awoke Christmas morning to a wet nose nuzzling against her cheek. It was such an odd feeling; she couldn't keep hold of her dream any longer. When her eyes fluttered open, there was nothing but golden fur. The previous evening came flooding back. "Emie."

The pup yipped in response as Charlotte untangled her limbs from the bedding to give the puppy some love.

"Good morning, Sleepyhead," Eddie spoke from the end of the bed. He was dressed and ready for the day.

"What time is it?" Charlotte looked towards the clock to get her bearings.

"After nine," Eddie replied, "You're the last one up. Brice said your parents were expecting you upstairs by ten."

"Oh my goodness, Christmas morning," she bolted upright. She blushed profusely when the bedcovers fell away to reveal her bare chest to him, and then reached to cover herself.

"Don't cover yourself on my account," Eddie leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips, "I fully enjoyed your luscious curves last evening…several times."

"Best Christmas Ever," Charlotte mumbled against his lips.

"Indeed," he agreed, "However, you'd better get yourself dressed. Family is due to arrive soon."

"Oh god, how am I going to act normal around you now when all I want to do is tear your clothes off and have my way with you again and again and again?" she asked.

"I think you'll find a way to restrain yourself," he chuckled against her lips.

Emie nudged herself into Charlotte's hip to get her attention.

"Okay, I'll get myself dressed, but only for you, Emie," Charlotte lifted the puppy into her arms and cuddled it against her chest, giving her a thorough rubbing.

"I already took her for a walk," Eddie held up a cup of coffee for her.

"Then you've earned yourself a bit of gratitude later, Mister Fraser," Charlotte teased as she took a sip from her mug.

"I think you gave me plenty of gratitude last night," he chuckled, "Get dressed."

Charlotte pouted as she left the bed, prancing towards the bathroom in what she hoped would be an invitation for Eddie to join her when she started the shower, making sure to toss a seductive look over her shoulder before she disappeared.

"Darn you, Woman," Eddie entered the shower only moments after Charlotte, his lips capturing hers in a heady kiss.

"You mentioned wanting to find creative places to have sex over the rest of our holiday break," she gave him her happiest of smiles as her arms wound around his back.

* * *

"She's even cuter in the light of day," Blair greeted her daughter and boyfriend when they arrived with Emie. The little pup pranced out of the elevator like she owned the place. Blair quickly gobbled her up, raining kissed along her furry head.

"She will certainly be the belle of the ball," Eddie laughed.

"I think my fiancée will have something to say about that," Brice made his way to the elevator, "Good morning, Sleepyhead. Have a little trouble getting out of bed this morning?"

"We were up late last night, remember," Charlotte shoved at her brother's shoulder, "Where is the blushing bride-to-be?"

"Helping Aiden set out the cookies he made," Brice replied.

"I'll help," Charlotte kissed Eddie's cheek and then disappeared.

"Is Emie going to be your accessory for the day?" Brice eyed his mother, still loving up the puppy.

"She might be," Blair smiled.

"Dad, I think it's time to get mom a puppy," Brice told his father, who entered to greet Eddie with a handshake.

"It appears so," Chuck eyed the puppy nestled comfortably in his wife's arms.

"She's just so cuddly," Blair smiled.

"I thought I heard Charlotte's voice," Chuck glanced through the entryway.

"She went to go gush over Collette's ring again by the sugar table," Brice replied.

* * *

"So," Collette took one look at Charlotte and immediately pulled her away from the family and into Blair's office to prod her for details of the previous evening.

"So?" Charlotte raised a curious brow as she went to her mother's drawing board to look over her latest designs.

"Don't even pretend like you and Eddie didn't enjoy your Christmas Eve evening," Collette rolled her eyes, "You have that ravished look."

"Oh my god, Lettie, it was amazing," Charlotte spun around with a gigantic smile on her face, "It was a totally different experience from Devon."

"I would hope so," Collette laughed. From the few times they'd discussed Charlotte's sex life with Devon, Collette had gotten the impression there was a lot left to be desired when it came to her college boyfriend. Though Eddie was a bit reserved, she always thought he'd be the kind of man who knew what he was doing in the bedroom.

"It was just so…tender and patient and passionate and, Lettie, he is absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea underneath all those suits and casual wear was this muscled man," Charlotte was practically glowing with happiness.

"Really," Collette raised an interested brow.

"I woke up this morning, and the first thing I wanted to do was jump him. These feelings I have for him now…I get why my parents are always on each other," Charlotte replied, "I almost want to apologize to them for all the teasing and eye-rolling because I totally get it now."

Collette laughed in reply. "If you two disappear today, I'll cover for you."

"You're the best," Charlotte hugged her friend, "I can't wait for us to be sisters officially."

"I'm still floating on a cloud. It was so completely unexpected. I thought he'd wait until I graduated and moved back to New York," Collette was smiling from ear to ear.

"What did your parents say?" Charlotte asked.

"Mom is over the moon," Collette smiled, "Dad is…"

"Not as thrilled," Charlotte concluded. She knew what a complicated relationship Collette had with her father, made even more complicated when she was forced to move to France after her parents' divorce despite her pleas to stay in New York.

"He'll come around," Charlotte gave her a comforting hug.

"This morning, your parents offered to pay for the entire wedding if Dad refuses to chip in," Collette swallowed hard, "Either way I am done letting him dictate my life any longer. I'm going to be happy."

"Good, because you make my brother so happy," Charlotte hugged her again. Just as they pulled away, Charlotte felt a furry little thing rubbing against her ankle. Charlotte looked down to see Emie looking up with hopeful eyes.

"My heart belongs to Barty, but this puppy is a very close second," Collette smiled as Charlotte bent down to pick her puppy up.

"Second best Christmas present I received this year," Charlotte scratched behind Emie's ears.

"Are you two ladies about finished?" Brice entered the office, his arm going around Collette's waist instantly, "Guests are starting to arrive, and I'd like to show off my fiancée."

Collette pressed her lips to her fiancé's, enjoying the way the word fell effortlessly from his lips.

"Come on, Emie, let's see if we can upstage them," Charlotte pranced out of the office with her puppy. She had no real intention of taking her brother's thunder away from them that day, but it was always fun to tease.

* * *

"There's my girl," Abby greeted the puppy with a gigantic smile. "How's she do last night? Any trouble?"

"She was an angel," Charlotte transferred the puppy to Eddie's sister-in-law, "She hardly made a sound and curled up in her bed last night and immediately fell asleep."

"I missed you," Abby gave Emie a plethora of kisses, "Does she have a name yet?"

"She does, Emie, short for Emmaline," Charlotte replied, "And she loves attention, don't you Emie?"

"Yes, she does," Abby laughed, "She very nearly got Genie and Cedric to agree to a pet. Even my stone walled husband, who is allergic, melted when she pranced towards him with her large, brown eyes opened wide…Didn't you, Sweetheart?"

"She was mildly entertaining," Justin rolled his eyes.

Abby laughed in response. "Any time you need a pet sitter, make sure Justin and I are at the top of your list."

"At least until the baby arrives," Justin quipped.

"I think my mom might fight you for tops on the list," Charlotte replied, "But I'll keep you both in mind."

"This place is beautiful," Abby glanced around the Waldorf-Bass penthouse. She'd only seen the lobby and the entryway the previous evening, and it didn't do the home justice.

"I'll give you the tour," Charlotte linked arms with Abby and pulled her from room to room.

"They seem to be getting along," Justin nudged his brother, "And the puppy was well received."

"Oh yes," Eddie chuckled, "She was quite excited. In fact, that puppy has been carried around in other people's arms more than she's walked since she arrived last night."

"You look really happy, Little Brother," Justin nudged him again.

"I am really happy," Eddie confirmed.

"Who would have thought all those years ago when Charlotte was tagging along on vacations and such that you'd be dating her now," Justin chuckled.

"More than dating," Eddie rubbed his hands together nervously.

"Dude, are you popping the question?" Justin asked.

"What? No?" Eddie scoffed, "It's still too soon for that. I'm just saying we're more than dating."

"What is there between dating and getting engaged? If there's something, I sure as heck missed it with Abby," Justin chuckled.

"I don't know, but it definitely feels like more," Eddie shrugged.

"Let's get a drink," Justin shoved Eddie towards the minibar, "Maybe a few drinks will help you identify it."

* * *

"This is such a beautiful home," Abby gushed as Charlotte returned her to where everyone had gathered, "I would have thought that Blair Waldorf Bass was living in some Manhattan mansion."

"Oh, this is better," Blair approached, "New York's skyline is hard to beat."

"Mom, this is Justin's wife, Abby. Abby, this is my mom," Charlotte introduced them.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so thrilled to meet you, Mrs. Bass…Mrs. Waldorf-Bass…er," Abby extended her hand as she rambled on.

"Blair is perfectly fine," Blair laughed as she shook hands with the frazzled, pregnant woman still holding Emie, "Oh my goodness, look at you with the belly. Charlotte told me you were expecting a girl. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Abby felt her nerves lessen a bit, "Justin and I are thrilled."

"So is Eugenia," Blair replied, "She talks nonstop about how excited she is to meet her first grandchild. When's the baby due?"

"We've got another couple of months," Abby rubbed at her belly, "After the holidays, Justin and I are going to have to start looking for an apartment of our own. We certainly can't be staying with Genie and Cedric after the baby is born."

"You should talk to my husband," Blair suggested, "He could put you in touch with the best real estate agent in the city. They'd probably have you moved in and settled well before the baby arrives."

"Wow, that would be great," Abby smiled, "I have to tell you, Mrs. Bass, I love your clothes. They're a bit above my pay grade, but they're beautiful."

"I'm glad you like them," Blair smiled.

"I told Abby to check out the vintage shops in Soho," Charlotte chimed in.

"You really should," Blair agreed, "I don't know what it is about that location, but they just gobble up my second-hand goods like they're going out of fashion."

"Once I'm back to myself, I just might," Abby rubbed at her belly again.

"I really should branch out into maternity," Blair laughed, "Thank you for the sudden burst of inspiration."

"You're very welcome," Abby laughed with her as Charlotte reclaimed her puppy.

"Hey, Char, three questions, who is this adorable little ball of fluff? Who is that yummy man standing next to your handsome man?..." Serena came over with an eager expression, scratching the ears of the growingly popular pooch.

"S," Blair tried to stop Serena from making a fool of herself.

"And is he single?" Serena plowed along without a second thought.

"S," Blair hissed.

"What?" Serena asked, "It's rare when I have a chance to pick up a hottie at a family event. Let me have this, B."

"Um, Serena, that's Eddie's older brother, Justin, and this is Abby Fraser, his pregnant wife," Charlotte introduced Abby.

"Oh, um, don't mind me," Serena's face flushed as Blair yanked her away to chastise her.

"Sorry about my aunt," Charlotte felt mortification on her aunt's behalf, "She always speaks before she thinks."

"Don't worry about it," Abby assured her, "I know my hubby turns heads. I'm so very fortunate his only turns in my direction."

Charlotte turned to see both Justin and Eddie's eyes on them. She felt herself blush at the intense way Eddie was staring at her.

"Looks like you're fortunate, too," Abby nudged her towards Eddie.

Eddie advanced on the pair, his arm wrapping around Charlotte's waist.

"Justin has an admirer," Charlotte caressed his chin.

"Beyond his wife?" Eddie leaned in for a kiss.

"Serena," Charlotte laughed, "She was hoping to pick him up today."

"She's barking up the wrong tree," Eddie chuckled, "Justin is a one-woman man. It's a trait we share."

Charlotte rose up and pressed her lips against his. She was moments away from suggesting they slip away for a bit when her mother announced it was time to eat.

"Let's go away for a few days," Eddie suggested as they made their way to the table, "My grandparents have a condo in the mountains of Vermont. We could do a bit of skiing, have roaring fires, plenty of alone time…"

"What about Emie?" Charlotte situated Emie in her lap as she took her seat at the table.

"She can join us," Eddie reached over to give Emie a good scratch, "The resort is pet-friendly, much to Justin's displeasure."

"Are you guys planning a trip to Great Winds?" Abby picked up on their conversation, "I love that place. Justin and I honeymooned there, although it was a couple of years after we actually got married, thanks to our Army assignments. We've been talking about taking another trip before the baby is born."

"What do you think?" Eddie asked.

"I love the idea," Charlotte replied, "We have to be back by New Years' Eve though. We're hosting a party, remember?"

"Plenty of time," Eddie assured her, "I'll make all the arrangements for our trip. We can leave first thing tomorrow."

"Sounds great," Charlotte smiled, "I can totally party plan remotely."

Dinner was thankfully more comfortable than Thanksgiving. Charlotte couldn't believe how adding Eddie's family to the table was the most natural addition. They'd been coming to meals for so many years that it felt as if they belonged. As she ate her meal, she could hear the bantering between Justin and Nate with Eddie chiming in at regular intervals. Abby and Collette conversed like they were long lost friends. Aiden and Brice went through their usual banter. It all felt familiar like it was always supposed to be this way.

"You okay, Babe?" Eddie's hand fell to her thigh, "You're quiet."

"Just taking it all in," Charlotte gave him a reassuring smile.

Eddie gave her a slight head bob and then returned to the conversation he was having with Nate and his brother, something sports-related. Charlotte heard Nate inviting the brothers to a basketball game sometime into the new year.

Everything felt too good to be true. For the first time in her life, Charlotte felt like maybe she'd found her forever love, but she couldn't let herself wholeheartedly believe it was a man she'd known her entire life.

"Charlotte, Sweetheart, can I talk to you for a minute?" Blair approached her daughter after the meal; her fingers shifted through the curls like she'd done nearly all her daughter's life. Charlotte bobbed her head and followed her into her office after Emie was handed off to Abby.

With the door closed, Blair started the conversation, "You were awfully quiet at dinner. Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine," Charlotte plopped herself down into one of the leather armchairs, "I think I'm just a bit tired. We were up late last night."

Blair studied her daughter for a minute. She could see something had changed. She hoped her relationship with her daughter was strong enough for Charlotte to confide in her.

Charlotte could feel her mother's eyes bearing down on her, making her squirm a bit.

"Charlotte, something is going on with you," Blair took a seat next to her, "Is everything okay with you and Eddie? You two were looking quite comfortable last night."

Charlotte took a deep breath. "Eddie and I had sex last night for the first time."

"Oh," Blair's eyes went wide in surprise, "Okay. Not what I was expecting you to say, but okay. You appear a bit tense, is that because it wasn't…"

"It was amazing, Mom," Charlotte bit her lip nervously, "So much better than anything I've ever experienced before. It's all so incredibly overwhelming. It's not like I was a virgin, but in some ways, it felt like I was. He made me feel things I've never felt before."

"That's wonderful, Sweetheart," her mother grabbed her hand and squeezed it, "It still doesn't explain your silence today."

"You're going to think this is a bit silly," Charlotte bit her lip.

"Trust me, Sweetheart," Blair gave her a reassuring smile, "Nothing you can say will surprise me."

"It's just that I enjoyed it so much I want to do it again and again, and I don't trust myself to say much for fear I'll let everyone else know what happened," Charlotte admitted.

Blair fought with everything she had to keep a straight face as her daughter's words settled in. "Sweetheart, I know exactly how you feel."

"You do?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes, I do," Blair bobbed her head, "You know most of the sorted details of the relationship I have with your father, but I've never really told you a lot about our intimate relationship, mostly because it's private…"

"I know, Mom," Charlotte rolled her eyes, "You and Dad have sex a lot."

"Yes, we do," Blair released a short giggle, "Those feelings you have for Eddie right now, those are the same feelings I had for your father when he returned to the city after we graduated high school and finally admitted how he felt about it."

"What did you do about them?" Charlotte asked.

"I gave in to them," Blair replied, "I put aside what everyone expected of me and just allowed myself to be happy."

"Weren't you scared it wasn't going to work out?" Charlotte asked.

"Terrified," Blair stated, "Your father and I had so many ups and downs leading up to our relationship; it was only natural."

"What did you do about it?"

"Jumped in with both feet," Blair smiled, "I had to trust that all that bad stuff was behind us and that together we could be strong enough to take on anything that happened…Relationships, even the best of them, go through natural ups and downs. Right now, you and Eddie are on the greatest of highs, but you're going to go through your bumps. It's how you find out if you want to go through those ups and downs together."

"I was sitting at the dinner table with his family and my family all mingled together, and it all just felt so natural. Is it supposed to be this easy?" Charlotte asked.

"It's not easy, Charlotte," Blair replied, "It's natural. Eddie's family has been a part of our family for a long time."

"Remember when I started dating, and we talked about soul mates?" Charlotte asked, "You asked if Evan was my soul mate, and I said no."

"I do," Blair bobbed her head, "I also asked if you saw a soul mate in your life, and you said no, but that didn't mean he wasn't there."

"Turns out maybe he was," Charlotte bit her lip.

"It's what I've always wanted for you," Blair smiled, "I want you to have a relationship as wonderful as what I have with your father, and I'm not talking about just the sex."

"I almost want to apologize for how mercilessly I've teased you over the years," Charlotte laughed out, "I totally get it now."

Blair laughed with her, "I have to be your mom for a minute here. Are you being safe?"

"Yes," Charlotte bobbed her head, "Every time, I promise."

"So it's been more than once," Blair raised her brow with a curious smirk.

"Mom," Charlotte moaned.

"Sorry, I'm just curious," Blair laughed, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Is it always going to be like this?" Charlotte asked, "Am I always going to see stars?"

"If you're lucky," Blair smirked, "Some men enjoy pleasuring their partner, others enjoy the pleasure for themselves. Your father certainly enjoys the former."

"Too much information," Charlotte brought her hands to her ears.

"Enjoy yourselves," Blair brought her daughter's hands away from her face, "But for the sanity of your father, keep it behind closed doors."

"Oh god, don't even go there," Charlotte gasped, "I don't want my sex life to give him a heart attack."

"Thank you, Sweetheart," Blair rose up and kissed the top of her head.

Charlotte emerged from her mother's office with an entirely new attitude. She went immediately for Eddie, laying a tantalizing kiss on his lips.

"I'm not complaining, but what was that for?" he chuckled when she pulled away slightly.

"Because I love you," Charlotte caressed his cheek softly.

"I love you too," he pecked at her lips a second time.

"Where has Emie ended up?" Charlotte asked.

"Last I checked, Nate had her," Eddie glanced around the gathering, "Barty was keeping an eye on her for you."

When the party began to dwindle, Eddie disappeared to get the plans for their short trip solidified while Charlotte and Emie said goodbye to all the guests.

"When you get back from Vermont, let's have lunch," Abby suggested.

"I would love that," Charlotte bobbed her head.

"Fantastic," Abby hugged her, "Call me when you get back…Bye, Emie, have fun in the snow."

Emie yipped in reply as she received a kiss from Abby.

 **TBC…**

 **To my Thanksgiving celebrating readers, Happy early Thanksgiving.**


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